


A Jinchuuriki's Tail

by OppaiShiri



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Akatsuki Uzumaki Naruto, Akatsuki eventually, Alternate Universe, Angst, Anti NaruHina, Anti NaruSaku, Asexual Character, Attempted Kidnapping, Camping, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Development, Character Study, Demon Powers, F/F, F/M, Fuuinjutsu Master Uzumaki Naruto, Gen, Genjutsu, Haku (Naruto) Lives, Heavy Angst, Het, Illusions, Infinite Tsukuyomi, Jinchuuriki Nohara Rin, Jinchuuriki-centric, Kage Bunshin no Jutsu | Shadow Clone Technique, Kazekage Gaara (Naruto), Konoha Village, M/M, Mangekyou Sharingan, Minor Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto, Minor Senju Hashirama/Uchiha Madara, Multi, NEJI DOESN'T DIE, No one likes Sasuke, On Hiatus, One-Sided Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, POV Alternating, POV Multiple, Pain, Past Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto, Powerful Uzumaki Naruto, Rivalry, Sad with a Happy Ending, Sasuke Bashing, Sasuke Is an Asshole, Shounen Fights, Shounen-ai, Slow Build, Smart Uzumaki Naruto, Strong Uzumaki Naruto, Team Bonding, Three Years Later, Transformation, Wilderness, Wilderness Survival, Yaoi, anti sasusaku, doesn't follow canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-04-07 12:57:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 64,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14081424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OppaiShiri/pseuds/OppaiShiri
Summary: A SasuNaru/NaruSasu slice of life. Naruto is feeling his 'mask' slip day by day. Maybe his dream of becoming hokage wasn't cracked up to what it was about to be. And his teammates...hate him. So do the villagers; who've shunned him his whole life. And what does it mean to become a ninja; to be part of the shinobi world? Will he lose his self in the midst of it all? We shall see. If you don't like, DO NOT read. (Summary for Chapters 1 - Chapters ???)-ON HIATUS UNTIL SUMMER BREAK-





	1. Reincarnation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PROLOGUE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, for those of you who are still reading in 2019? Thank you.   
> I know I've been on a long hiatus and I'm sorry for that. This year has been hard and I know that's no excuse, but between using what little of my free time to write and high school? No. I couldn't do it. I'm sorry.  
> But there are a few things I'd like to address.  
> Like the story. I think it sucks. In fact, I know it sucks. Believe me. I'm looking through the chapters and I cringe at everything I wrote a year or so ago. I can't believe I wrote this stuff...sigh. I don't know where I was going with this and what I was thinking. It was my first Naruto fanfic ever so I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I admit I could have written it a lot better looking back now. And I will...I just don't know when.
> 
> So I think I'm going to split it off into two parts. One is the original and the other is the remastered version. Just in case you guys wanted one or the other.
> 
> So far? My status - I'm still editing and revising everything. At the same time writing other stories as well. So...I honestly don't know how long this is going to take.

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

 

 "....the hokage and their people. Only one could not coexist without the other. And so the two shinobi strived for peace forevermore." Snapping the book shut, the older boy, Madara Uchiha, stood up from his position. " _Wha_ \-- ??? Really, that's it?" A younger boy asked from beside him, looking up at him in utter shock. Madara smiled. "No, not really. You're forgetting that this is the _first_ volume of one of the many thousands the Library has in store. This -- this is nothing compared to the others." Shifting around the grass, the Uchiha brandished a book bag in cases such as these. Standing up, he had held onto the younger boy's little hand and the other holding onto the book.

"But I think that's about it for today. Perhaps we can continue reading sometime later." 

 

"Aww...but I wanted to know what happens next!" 

 

"And you will." Madara ruffled his bangs with a small chuckle. "But I'm afraid I'm rather busy at the moment. Father wouldn't approve of me skipping my training regimen." It was true. He had gotten quite the beating for stepping out of line and skipping a lesson on how to use different types of jutsus. Madara would _never_ live it down.

"B - but, I could come with you!" Hashi begged, eyes teary as he saw the Uchiha shake his head." _Please_? I'll only watch, I promise!" 

Madara considered it for a moment. The last time that happened, the poor boy tripped over himself and landed face first into the trap of _kunais_ he had laid out for himself and for himself only. Besides, all the boy really had was a wooden twig with a loose leaf at it's end. Not very... _effective_ in terms of combat.

Sure, maybe the little sapling would grow into one big tree someday, but he highly doubted it. That's the thing -- there was no charisma of a promising ninja about him. He didn't have the heart to splatter blood from enemies within a heartbeat. He'd probably shrivel up in a ball and cry. 

Then again, this boy wasn't a ninja by any means. He was just a civilian like any other. No use in putting him in any unnecessary danger.

 

"Maybe it's for the best if I do it by myself." Seeing the little boy's sad face, he added in reassuringly.

 

"A villager like you shouldn't be practicing sessions only a nin is capable of. It's not safe for you." The Uchiha reasoned logically, and did a thumbs up with his free hand. "You're OK here with your family. So stay with them while you can, okay?"

 

"O - okay," The boy relented with a small smile. ' _Why can't I do it, too? I'm tired of being picked on as weak. I want to do things for myself._

"Good boy," The Uchiha patted him on the head, and, as Hashirama turned around, he was face to face with his brother who was looking at them with wide eyes. Madara stared at the newcomer with contempt, standing between the two. It was only then that the oldest of the two noticed his presence. "And  _you_..." Began Tobi. "You must be my brother's friend. Nice seeing you, but we really should be going. Goodbye." Tobirama says hurriedly in a terribly sweet voice, faking a smile.

"Likewise..." Madara growled, turning away from them with a frown. As soon as he left the clearing, Tobi rounded on Hashi. "I told you not to hang around with him!"

 

"H - hey, brother! I can explain." Hashirama cursed the stammer in his voice, wanting to appear confident just like a ninja should be. "I swear it's not what you think!"

But his younger brother didn't have any of it. He grabbed hold of his hand and dragged him across the rice fields over away from the Uchiha. "H - hey! Tobi, let go of me!" The little boy protested, attempting to stay put. " _No_...it's exactly what I think it is." Tobirama, the white haired and red-eyed boy, says firmly. Pausing for a second, he stares at his brother with unreadable eyes. 

"...I should've known. I always wondered where you were wandering off to so early in the morning. Now I know." Shame filled his voice, and it didn't take an idiot to figure out that he hated getting caught just as much as he did."Look, I'm sorry, OK?" Hashirama snapped, narrowing his hazel eyes. "'s not my fault an Uchiha's my best friend." The words felt empty, as if the very name of . Why were the Senju so against the Uchiha, anyway, and vice versa? Sure, they seemed a little mean, but they were nice once you got to know them. Or so Hashi thought. 

 

"From now on, you stay away from him, yeah?" His brother says with an air of finalty. 

 

"B - but _why_?" The little boy demanded, pressing for answers; struggling to keep up with his much bigger and stronger brother who was walking way too fast for his liking. And as they stopped in their tracks, Hashirama saw why. Annoyed, Tobirama's red eyes narrowed down at him. "Because it's _forbidden_." The silence thereafter continued into daybreak, when they had arrived home to the sight of their father. Sitting down opposite him in their yukatas, they faced him as he told the tale of the two clans.

 

"The Uchiha are rivals of the Senju. Always have and always will be." Butsuma replied coldly. 

 

"Associating with them is dangerous, no matter how nice they act on the outside. Now Konoha only knows about is bloodshed. The blood of the enemy."

Meanwhile, Itama was bawling. Both brothers looked at him in concern. "I - I hate this!" He cried into his hands, tears streaming down his cheeks. " _Why_? Weren't we once friends? I - I mean," he choked, "There's never gonna be an alliance anytime soon if we continuously fight each other to the death."

 

 

 " ** _This is the way of war_**!" Butsuma roared, slamming the end of his cane onto the wooden floor, alerting everyone around him. "Believe me when I say nothing is ever fair about the world we live in. Both sides suffer in losing someone they love dear die in battle. Family, friends, and lovers all suffer the same fate. This is why shinobi built upon themselves a system. A path of loneliness and destruction." 

 

Itama looked down solemnly, his lower lip quivering."We are told time and time again to keep a distance from others. Associating with them only brings despair in our hearts, naturally letting the ninja lose sight of who they are."

 

' _I refuse to be part of it_!' Hashirama swore to himself, with a hand clutched over his chest. ' _We are structured to build bonds with other people, are we not? So why then_...?'

 

"It is because of this that we act as a symbol of hope for our people. To protect our nation we...

We lose ourselves in the process. Ninja train themselves to lose all feeling; all emotion. In doing so, they are silent and become nothing more than some mindless automaton." Sighing, he stands up and slowly walks over to the window with a forlorn expression on his face."That is what I have done, and the many others before me." Looking at the eldest directly, Butsuma nodded at Hashirama. "But know this...to become a ninja you must master the art of becoming 

 

"Hashirama, one day this will be your destiny."

"Or, so you can choose." Shaking his head, his eyes looked directly into what would eventually be the future hokage's. "Listen, son. Children from both of our clans are dying one by one. I know you wish to become a shinobi yourself , but you are risking putting your life in danger.

 

 

"Thank you, Father," Hashirama bowed down and stood up again. At the door, he glances one last time at his father before leaving the main room.

 

"I will consider your words with immense weight."

\---

"I'm not supposed to be with you," The brown-haired boy began shakily. His hazel eyes stared impassively at the other, who hadn't moved a muscle since their interaction. Between them there was a body of water, to which they used to toss pebbles at each other.

"As do I." Madara silkily replied, tossing his back and forth to and fro. 

 

This alerted both the Uchiha and the Senju, who sprung to the scene immediately.

 

"Hashi, what have you -- !!!" Hashirama's father stood opposed to the other Uchihas, who were staring back with equal hate. " _Uchiha_ ," he narrowed his eyes and damn near close to slitting their throats clean open. But he held his ground and stood uneasily. 

"Stand back, you three! This is not your battle." He shoved them back almost spontaneously, trying to hold them back so he could attack the other Uchihas head on. As Madara and Hashirama were knocked back, another vision filled the atmosphere around them. 

 

\---

"May the Uchiha and the Senju make amends for the past and continue anew our new village, _Konohagakure_ , for generations to come."

Now older and more mature, Madara and Hashirama shook hands and looked to the villagers. They roared in applaud, clapping their hands with a big smile set on their faces. Mito Uzumaki stood in the back, cheering along with the rest of the crowd. 

 

"I...was wrong, brother." The boy-turned-man says sincerely, looking into his eyes. "Good job." Tobirama smiled at him softly, red eyes fierce.

"No need to look so serious," Hashirama clapped him on the back good-naturedly. "You'll take after me, eh? Work hard and grow into a stronger shinobi."

"Hmph....I wouldn't be so sure I'd make a great hokage." His brother says sternly, crossing his arms. "Cheer up!" Hashirama smiles and then frowns once he realizes the time. " _Damn_! Well, I'm off. You know, hokage duties and all that."

 

"See you." Tobi waved off after him, smiling forlornly. 

 

As he walked, some of the villagers waved to him in welcome. Even after all the war and suffering, there was still more things had to be done. While the Uchiha and the Senju were rebuilding their bonds once again, he still had paperwork to file out to all the other ninja throughout the Elemental Nations. After all, what is a village without it's people far and wide?

 

 

"Hey! Mister, mister!" A little girl calls, holding onto a flower and handing it over to the hokage. He looks at the pink petals and is reminded of a cherry blossom. 

 

"Ah, these are lovely. Thank you."

"You're welcome." She beamed brightly at him, "anything for the hokage!" He smiled and waved, walking off with a sigh. 

\---

 On the hokage's head, Hashirama looks off into the distance past the village. There was still so much to do as a leader to his people, he wasn't sure how he'd go about rebuilding it. This was only one of the many elemental villages 

He isn't surprised once he hears a very familiar voice from beside him."So, Hashi. How's the village life treating you?"

 "There's still a lot I need to do for my people. I need some guidance as to where to go from here."

 

"You're my best friend, I'm sure you can do it," Madara elbowed him with a smirk. "You bested me in battle before, and you've grown into a formidable shinobi. All the ladies seem to have an affinity for you, milord." Hashirama blushed. Woman DID seem to flock to him whenever he passed by...sometimes he didn't know what to make of it, as he already had a loving wife. 

Breaking the mood, the First swatted him playfully. "Don't call me that! Hashi was just fine before!...Anyway. You'd make a good hokage." 

 

"Me? Becoming hokage?" Hashirama nodded.

 

"Haha hah ha! I suppose if I must...though I'm not not sure I'm suited for the task. I'm no good with people, unlike you, Hashi." 

 

"Oh, c'mon! The villagers are quite friendly once you get to know them. Paperwork like signing off ranked missions is a bore, but it's not so bad."

"If you say so," Madara laughs. The visions blurs yet again into another scene, this time more darker than the last.

 

 ---

The dark Nine-Tails rose and leapt towards the wooden barrier around Hashirama. Performing his jutsu, the hokage slammed it at the monster who roared 

Hashirama summoned his wood chasms to pop out of the ground and trap the corrupt fox. Meanwhile, he charged one at Madara who had come from behind. This kept the Uchiha in place, and Hashirama used this opportunity to reason with his former friend.

"The village does not belong to you, Madara! It wouldn't be fair of me to let you survive this battle and yet..."

 

_Why? Why can't I kill you...?_

 

Cursing himself silently for trying to talk sense into his former friend, he instead focused on slaying away the monstrous tailed beast. It had been thrown, creating cracks all along the land. 

' _M - My eye_!' Madara held his eye, not even attempting to attack when he couldn't even activate his Sharingan. Blood trickled down his cheeks, and he didn't even sense another presence from behind.

"You let your shield down for me, your friend." They say from behind him.

As the wooden clone stabbed him in the back, Madara stood stock still. The atmosphere was as chill as the night air. "Hehe...I guess this is it for me, huh?" He asked quietly,

' _You're not that little boy I used to know_...' A memory of both the younger and the older Hashirama flashed before his eyes, before he drew his last breath.

"Goodbye..." His body finally falling into the darkness deep below.

 

And from there on, man came to know of their battle as the Valley of the End; hereby known as the clash between the two greatest ninjas of all time.

 

 

\---

"Ah, I see..." an old man says to himself, smoking a pipe. "So that was my student's grandfather. And also Hashirama Senju the First."

 

' _Part of his blood is in all of us. However, I never knew_... _that they were friends until the very end_.'

 

"May your spirits live on," the Third says to himself quietly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTICE: The manga and anime do NOT belong to me. All rights belong to Misashi Kishimoto and I write only for fun, not for money. Please support the official release!
> 
> PLEASE NOTE: If this work is posted on any other website aside from Fanfiction, Wattpad, or Archive of Our Own (AO3) under a seperate username; then it is stolen. This was originally made by me on docs. Thank you for taking the time to read the fanfic :D  
> (It's gonna be a long one, that's for sure)  
> If slow stories an' shit ain't your thing, then maybe this isn't for you. Just sayin'.


	2. All Alone

**|. (in-the-works)**

* * *

 

 

_RING, RING, RING!!!_

 

Some blonde ninja slammed his fist on the alarm clock from his bedside table. ' _Urrrgh_ ,' he groaned, wiping his eyes tiredly and squinting through the light of his window.

Naruto stretched and stood from his bed; stifling a yawn loud enough for the whole of Konoha to hear. Efficiently, he tossed his sleeping cap aside and unbuttoned his striped pajamas for one of his trademark orange ninja jacket and pants. Stepping over the mess of trashed ramen cups, he tied on his leaf forehead protector tightly with a triumphant smirk. As he dashed over to his stove top, he hurriedlywarmed up a pot of hot boiling water and waited impatiently. Only the watch was a constant reminder of how much time he had left. ' _C'mon, c'mon_!' He thought, seeing the seconds tick by. As soon as it climaxed, he practically dumped the contents into it and shoveled it into his mouth in one sitting.

 "Today's the day!" He says to himself with a mouthful of ramen, slipping his sandals on as he shoves expired noodles into his mouth. Outside, he jumps roof to roof to Team Seven's usual meeting place by the bridge. He waves to them, but they say nothing. Not a ' _hello_!' not even a ' _good morning_ ' or anythin'! Talk about a let down.

He stepped closer to them, making himself as large as he can be. Though, with his small stature, that wasn't saying much. It was then that Sasuke's eyes glanced at him and then looked away as quickly as it had come. He was leaning coolly against a wooden pole, acting all cool and whatnot. Naruto  _hated_  that about him. As if he ruled the whole stinkin' world.  

' _What the heck was that all about_?' He grumbled internally, but didn't let it show. His eyes stared instead at his crush, who was standing inches away from him. His heart fluttered in his chest.

  

And there Sakura was, trying useless attempts at seducing Sasuke and flirting nonchalantly. Of course, the pretty boy turned her down and just practiced playing with his  _kunai_  idly as they wait for Kakashi Sensei. Naruto waved and yelled a loud, “HEY, GUYS!” hoping they’d care even a little. Of course, they wouldn’t. Once she noticed his presence, she closed her eyes and wagged a finger, lecturing him like a little baby.

“Shut up, Naruto! You’re so annoying. I was just asking Sasuke-kun for a date. So, what’s your answer, Sasuke- _sama_?” The inner fangirl clasped her hands together over her heart. She had hoped since their childhood days that her Prince would acknowledge her for even just a second. He didn’t.

 

“No way.”

 

Naruto wanted to jump him.  _How DARE he toss his precious person aside like they were nothing!_  That’s exactly what Zabuza did to Haku and he couldn’t forgive it. Not ever.

 

The fox in him growled and his eyes flickered to red for just a second. But then back to blue once he saw the crestfallen Cherry Blossom's tears trickle down her face. And so, he automatically switched into brotherly mode without even thinking, trying to help her out to the best he could. He patted her back in what he hoped to be in a comforting way, but Sakura slapped his hand away with a glare. Trying not to look hurt that his crush flat out rejected him yet again, he cracked a smile through the pain.  _Why couldn't she just fall in love with him, for once?_  He was a genuinely good guy, he was gonna become the best ninja that ever existed. He was  _Naruto Uzumaki_! What was so cool about Sasuke, anyway? Contrary to being called a loser, Naruto thought him as lame.  _Bonds were everything!_  They were convictions, they were ties between people never to be severed!

The Uchiha was just some show off broody teenager for all he cared. All the same, she was still head over heels for the guy even if he was an asshole. The blonde sighed to himself, looking away with a downcast expression.

It was all so  _annoying_. This act of his; trying to play it all cool when every inch inside him was crumbling. He was tired of being part of the shinobi system, and was torn about whether to be himself or not to be. Haku was only one of the few that truly understood him. And even then, that had all ended in vain violence and bloodshed.

 

But, he did it for the sake of Team Seven.  _Would it really matter if he was there or not?_  

 

“Maa, maa, Sakura-chan. It’s OK! You like ramen, yeah? We can go to Ichiraku's together!" He cheered; hopeful for a chance to cheer her up. She immediately stiffened at the idea. “No way,  _baka_! I’d rather date Sasuke than you, you idiot! C’mon, Sasuke-kun? Let’s go?” She tried tugging onto his arm, but Sasuke was stubborn. He stayed rooted to the spot.

 

He shook his head and his eyes looked directly at Naruto. "Dobe, there's something I need to tell you." He declared suddenly, breaking the tension in the air. "I want to train with you." Naruto's eyes widen comically. Sakura sputters on herself.

"Well? Don't just stand there like an idiot." He smirked coyly, pointing his _kunai_ at him. "Come at me."

 

 "Huh??? Are ya kidding? Nuh-uh! There's no way I'm gonna train with the likes of you!" Naruto retorted, facing turning a burning shade of red. 'Not when Sakura-chan is right here~.' He think giddily.

 

"Tch. Fine!"

" _Fine_!"

 

"I don't wanna waste my time with you anyway." The blonde crossed his arms and looked away with a frown. "Yeah, me neither." Sasuke humphed; a vein popping off of his forehead.

 

Sakura looked between the two and held her breath.

' _What the heck is wrong with them? I swear, those two bicker like an old married couple_.' She frowns, tapping her foot impatiently. ' _Well, whatever. Sasuke-kun is totally gonna kick that baka's butt_!'

"Go, Sasuke-kun!" She cheers from the sidelines, pumping a fist into the air.

 

 

"You know what? Forget it." Sasuke growled, stepping up to the blonde and glaring down at him. The blonde stood his ground, with his fists clenched.

"I suppose you're too weak to fight against me, anyway," he taunts, cockily, "you _loser_."

"Oh, now you're on!" Naruto cracked his fists and slammed his fist into the other's chest. Sasuke spat out blood, and collided into a tree from  force of his brute strength

 

- **BADUMP BADUMP BADUMP** -

 

Sasuke's heart beated fast in his chest, seeing the blonde's flicker from his normal happy go lucky self to a complete monster. He barely felt it when the boy had held him by the collar, eyes turned into red slits. "I hate you!" Naruto shouted in tears, punching the boy across the face "I hate you, I hate you, _I hate y_ \---!!!"

Sasuke placed a hand over his mouth, silencing him. "I know that I hurt you, and that's OK. Hit me as many times as you want. Heh, I deserved it. I was never a good friend to you, anyway...."

The other cupped his face, and he found himself staring into those sky blue eyes. Even as Sakura screamed for them to stop hurting each other. "I...lost." His head slumped against the ground in defeat and closed his eyes. Naruto blinked, holding his breath, and slapped him. "B - bastard..." Giving up, he slinked down beside him.

 

 As they lay there on the grass, a pug named Pakkun came up to them with a letter in his mouth.  "Special delivery!" It barks, placing it down on the grass and promptly ran back with his stubby little limbs.

They both awkwardly moved away from each other; Naruto wiped away his tears angrily with his sleeve. Sasuke nodded at him with a small smile and shook the other boy's hand.  Standing up from his position, he swats away the saliva and squints at the watered down piece of paper.

"Mission's cancelled." The Uchiha recites. "H - hey, lemme see!" The blonde roughly shoves him away with a smirk. 

 

**Hello, kiddos!**

**Turns out today I'm on a very special date with a lovely lucky gal! Or, should I say, _dolphin_ haha. **

**For the time being, Sasuke is going to take my place and teach you as you practice climbing up a tree. You three should be able to perform chakra control at this point.**

**Try not to kill each other while I'm gone!**

**Toodles!**

**Kakashi Sensei**

**P.S.**

**Don't tell the ninja girl that she still has a lot of work to do if she ever wants to become a jounin like me.**

"I heard that!" The cherry blossom snapped in the background. ' _Hmph, stupid sensei! He doesn't know what he's saying_!'

 Naruto bit his lower lip, rereading the note with big doe eyes. "H - he can't just do that!" The blonde breathed, mouth agape. ' _And Sasuke? Tutoring me? BLERGH! I'd sooner gorge myself an' die_!'

 

"I'm the one in charge, remember?" Sasuke says softly, wrapping an arm around the blonde's shoulder and cracked a smile (a small one at that). "That means you have to do whatever I say as the team leader. That includes even you, dobe."

 

' _No thank you! I'm outta here_.' Naruto glanced between the two with crossed arms. ' _I'm not letting him boss me around like a kid. I'm much better than that_!'

 

Sasuke, the most per , saw his frustration, his sadness, his anger. Normally he'd taunt him about him , but he had seen how hurt he looked earlier. So

He should be asking "Are you hurt?" or "Are you alright?" But he simply wasn't that type of person. Sasuke leaned a little closer, looking around for signs of anyone else, he whispered in his ear. 

 

“If it means so much to you, then go home,  _usuratonkachi_.” Then, as an afterthought, a “see you.”

 

The blonde took the hint and stepped away. “Uh, well, buh-bye!” He called, turning his back and taking a steady breath. He then walked on, without a smile on his face. No one would care, anyway if he did or not. He collected  _chakra_  to his feet and walked along the streets of Konoha with his head hung low.

* * *

 


	3. The Little Flower That Bloomed That Day (WORK IN PROGRESS)

**||.**

* * *

"What's up with him all of a sudden?" Sakura asked, as they both stared off after the blonde. Sasuke shrugged, turning away from her with an eye twitch. "Who knows? I'm out of here."

"Wait!" She called; trying to match his speed, but almost stumbling over in the process. After a few moments of catching her breath, she added in, "What about Kakashi-sensei?"

Sasuke groaned, eyes turning into slits. "Kakashi isn't coming here anytime soon. I've got better things to be doing instead of waiting around for some jounin."

"SASUKE!" She called again, but was again rejected. It was only after a long suffering sigh that he paid her any mind. He finally stopped walking and faced her. A peeved expression overshadowed his face. " _Stop following me around, Sakura_! Just because we're a team doesn't mean we're friends!" He seethed; teeth gritted.  _And honestly?_  The cherry blossom had never seen this side of him before. She immediately shut up. Satisfied, Sasuke continued his walk. "B - but, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried, trying to fight back any tears. "Go play with Ino or something." He suggested; finally just speeding off away from her. Leaving the pinkette alone to her thoughts. ' _Ino_?' Sakura scrunched up her face. ' _THAT pig? All she wants to do is get between me and my love. And there's no way I'm letting that happen!'_

"Whatever you say, Sasuke-kun..." She says sadly, walking away from their meeting place to the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

\---

"Huh? Sakura, what a surprise. Didn't think you'd be here." Ino started as Sakura walked inside . The pinkette bit her lower lip, looking all around the green house. ' _I'm doomed_....' Inner Sakura thought. ' _Even I can't believe it._   _Me? And Ino? I'd better get some brownie points for doing this...CHA!_ '

"Wow, this looks a lot bigger than the last time I was here." She remarked idly, looking at all the pots arranged around the interior of the room. All sorts of greenery was planted there; and Sakura could only name a few off the top of her head. ' _I guess some things like this never change_...' The feeling was... _bittersweet_ , at best.

 

The blonde nodded. 

 

"Yeah, it  _IS_ , as a matter of fact." Ino says proudly, hands on her hips."Anyway. What's up?" 

 

"Huh?"  Sakura asked increduously, crossing her arms. Ino shrugged. "I mean, I thought we weren't supposed to be, erm..." She cleared her throat, adding in a, "' _Buddy-buddy_ '" She air quotes with her fingers. "I did say that, didn't I?" Sakura laughed nervously after a short sigh. "Times change, Ino-Pig. We're still rivals, by the way. But...I miss playing with you in the flower fields. You know?"

"Me too, Sakura," Ino says after a few moments of silence, "Me too."

" _So_!" Sakura clasped her hands together, faking a smile. "How can I help you out today as a friend?"

"Weeeeell," Ino drawled out, blue eyes scanning the room. "I suppose if you  _really_   wanna help out you can start by pulling out the weeds from those cosmos over there. I don't like getting my hands dirty."

 "No way! I hate doing that stuff. It's so yucky a - and gross and ---!" She was on a roll, until a mouthful of  _ramune_ was shoved in her mouth. Ino shushed her with a finger and then withdrew the glass. The blonde chugged the rest, and burst out laughing; doubling over in the process. Furious, Sakura growled. "H - hey! Stop laughing, Ino-PIG!" 

"You asked for it!" Ino flipped her pony tail hair back arrogantly with a wink. She recovered momentarily and crossed her arms. "Now get to it, squat! Otherwise our friendship is OVER! Ya hear me?"

" _Hmph_!" Sakura rolled her eyes and went back to working, deciding that messing with her would only make Sasuke unhappy of not getting along with her supposedly "best friend" (1).  ' _It's so hot in here_...' Sakura wiped away her sweat from her forehead, as she continued weeding her mini-garden. This wasn't her first time doing this. And once upon a time she used to come here all the time with her mother and father. It was memories like those that helped her feel like a little girl all over again. When becoming a ninja was the least of her worries.

 The blonde watched her carefully every now and then, but observing her nails for the most part. ' _Yeesh... I'll hafta paint that later_...' She frowned down at the unpolished nails, and cleared her throat.

 

"So..."

 

"So what?" Sakura huffed, trying to get her work done so that Sasuke would notice. "What do you want to do in life?" Ino scooted closer to her, eyes captivated as Sakura tended each plant with tender loving care. Her hands were . Ino, transfixed, only snapped back into the world once she saw the look on her best friend's face. Seeing her dumbfounded look, she added in, "Well, you know. Aside from being a  _kunoichi_ , of course."

"I...haven't really thought about it." Her eyes fluttered to nothing in particular, hands faltering for just a second. The question had caught her off guard in the midst of her fluster. She looked to the side thoughtfully. "I mean...I was thinking that I'd be a good wife someday." A daydream look washed over her face. Ino looked unimpressed. "Oh,  _r_ _eally_? Don't tell me this is all about that Uchiha boy you always talk about."

"B - but it is!" Sakura insisted. "I've always dreamed of the day we'd marry...there will be wedding bells...and cake and and and EVERYTHING!" Hearts were fluttering in her eyes as she romanticized about being with her dream guy. " _BLEGH_!" Ino blanched. "I'm totally not invited. I'd date Bushy Brows any day!" She declared. "Ino~" Sakura pouted, "what's the fun in that? I'm going to go with him whether you like it or not!" She says confidently, a far cry from that shy little girl Ino used to know as a child. 

Stunned for a second, Ino sighed and stood up, poking Sakura on the forehead just like she used to do when they were younger. The girl glared back at her, though there was a certain fondness from that gaze. "That's the problem, Forehead. Call me crazy, but I just don't have the hots for him anymore."

"Plus, he's WAAAY out of my league. I mean, we all know that I'M the best one out of that relationship." She flipped her hair again and smiled cheekily. "And he's not exactly my type, either. That boy is all yours,  _girlfriend_."

' _Wait, what? She's not... my rival anymore_?' Touched, Sakura eyes widen, trying to stifle a smile. As such, she had covered her mouth completely and shook her head. "You don't like Sasuke-kun?" Ino nodded with a shrug. " Yeah. I guess I was just following along at first. I mean, all he ever was strut about like he was a prince or something special." A spark lit up in Sakura's eye, a fire igniting from within. ' _HOW DARE SHE SAY THAT, SHANNARO! SASUKE IS A LOT BETTER THAN HER_!'

"Not true!" Sakura huffed, turning around to face her. "Sasuke-kun isn't so bad. Once you get to know him, he's so, so, SO COOL!" She squealed, giggling to herself. Ino, knowing she had struck a nerve, smiled smugly. "...Case and point. Anyway, we're getting off track. I asked you a question, stupid." 

 

 "No, but seriously. Is that all you got goin' for you?" Ino interrogated, hands on her hip and bending over as Sakura sat beside her. Haruno shook her head. "No, not necessarily... I'd like to be a," a short pause. "A doctor." Sakura said without hesitation.  "W - Wow...you....! Man." The blonde, surprised, clapped her on the back the pinkette felt her heart swell ten times it's size. "'Atta girl! I knew you had something in you." Ino cheered, as Sakura rolled her eyes. She continued picking at the weeds from the flower pot. "I've been studying lately...listening in on all the lessons from Iruka-sensei. I've always wanted to be part of the medical field...and heal Sas ---  _ahem_. My teammates in battle. See? This is my green chakra. I know you hover over them, but then...what?" She asked, her hands held out over the plants themselves. Green chakra flickered for a moment but then disappeared as soon as it had came.

 

"Healing stuff, huh?" Ino repeated thoughtfully. "You know. I'm no expert. But, maybe you could get trained by the most legendary medical nin of all time. I'm personally her biggest fan," she gushed. "Tsunade-san? Maybe..." Sakura trailed off, a hand placed on her chin. Ino smiled and then checked her watch. Her eyes widened into the size of corks. "Oh gods! Look at the time! I, uh, I think that's enough for one day..." From behind her, she pulled out her wallet where she brought out a handful of  _ryo_  and dropped it into Haruno's awaiting hand."Here, as a thank you for coming over and helping me out." She says coolly, as if it were no biggie. Walking over to one pot in particular, Ino pulled out a pink cosmos and placed it atop Sakura's pink hair. The girl's breath hitched for a second, green eyes staring into Ino's blue ones.

"There, it's perfect! This is for you, my  _beautiful flower_. You're far prettier than those flowers, anyway." Ino says, taking a step back and admiring the view. Sakura caught her breath; heart fluttering in her chest.  Ino patted her on the back and she shyly smiled back. Honestly? She felt  _loads_ better than before. Something that not even Sasuke-kun, the one that she would love until the end of time, would ever give her. For a moment --  _for just for a moment_  -- she felt like that little girl all over again. Showering in on all of that attention. In that retrospect, maybe she was still that girl that wasn't confident in herself...

 

And here, right here, was her  _salvation_. 

 

Sakura nodded with a smile stretching across her rosy, dimpled cheeks. Grabbing her bag and out the door with the cosmos in her hair, she shouts out an, "Ja ne, Ino-Pig!" She stuck her tongue out playfully and left the greenhouse snickering. "Thanks, ya big ol' Forehead! Forget I ever said anything!" Ino called out after her.

 

 

\---

Naruto slowed his pace to a walk; casually strolling about with his head hung low.  The sun was set high behind him, illuminating his silhouette from behind. Shoving his hands into his pockets; he frankly didn't care what he must've looked like. He wondered savagely if the villagers would attack his home again. If so, then he would have to prepare traps around his house so they would stay away from the safety of his abode. It wouldn't be the first time. He still had those scars from just the simple age of a baby.

It had hurt at the time, but now...but now he was here. He had the Hokage. He had a team of his own. And friends, even if one of them hated him to the very core of his being.

 

_Speaking of friends...._

 

"N - Naruto?" A girl about his age walked up to him. A breeze brushed by the two of them . Looking up, he lit up almost immediately at the familiar face of the Hyuga. 

 

"Hinata?"

 

She nodded with a bashful smile on her face. "U - um...we've never really met outside of the Academy. But, y - yes. I'm Hinata Hyuga." She introduced with a bow. "And, we all know about you, Naruto-kun! So..." The pale and dark-haired girl nervously looked at anything but at his eyes. Fumbling with her hands, she looked down at an object of question. "Huh? What's that?" Naruto asked curiously, pointing at them.

"Oh, these? Do you like them?" Hinata flushed, holding out the bouquet of lavender flowers. "The Yamanakas' needed a flower delivery service. I -- I volunteered to help them out, so..." She trailed off awkwardly and started again, "W - well, anyway..." She fidgeted on the spot nervously. "W - would you like to go with Neji-niisan and I? We're going to meditate at our house and then go out and train for the upcoming Chunin Exams. O - of course! If you'd like, you can come along with us..." She offered.

The offer was really tempting...in fact, he almost felt obliged for a chance to become stronger and also build his bonds with  _shinobi_  outside of his own team. As much as he'd like to hang out with friends, he wasn't in the mood at the moment. Everything had cascaded from the morning when sticks and stones were thrown at him. Add in his crush rejecting him the 100th time that day and then he just felt like shit. 

"Ne ne. Maybe next time...I'm kinda busy!" He tried to play it off cool, and luckily Hinata felt okay with that. ' _Home. I just wanna go home_.' He thought to himself. "Oh, I see. I understand..." She says, dejectedly with her head low. Naruto wanted to stop and cheer her up, but there really was no time. He knew that he was running short it. After all, he could only channel  _Kyuubi's (_ the Nine Tails _)_  chakra for so long before it spiraled out of control...and especially so late at night...

"I, uh...I think that's my cue. Gotta go!" He shouted back at her, rushing off to his apartment. "See you later, Naruto-kun!"

 

' _Please be safe_...' She begged, staring off after him.

### Notes:

> (1) The drink she had sipped on was tossed into the recycling bin ages ago.


	4. "Cosmos"

**|||.**

* * *

Naruto locked the door behind him and sank down against the door; relieved. He didn't even bother turning on the lights; revelling in the feeling of being alone once again.

 

' _Man, Kurama....I'm beat_.'

 

" **You've been using my power too much, brat. Even when you train with your shadow clones you always use a bit of my power just to show off to that insufferable human.** **The seal will release me soon enough if you're not careful, boy**." The blonde blushed at the thought of the pretty  _kunoichi_ , but snapped out of it when his stomach pained even more, twisting and churning his insides due to the powers of the tailed beasts acting up again. ' _Heh...and I've been feeling it, too_.' Naruto lifted up his jumpsuit and tossed it to the side; leaving him in his fishnet shirt. Taking that off as well, he watched his bare stomach lights up with the black swirl and symbols. 

 

" **Something's up**..." Kurama murmured. " **It's been awhile since I've seen your seal...the last time it's happened was when your father sealed me inside of you and ever since it hasn't appeared. The fact that it's on your stomach right now is strange to me**."

' _Guess so. Maybe I need to lay off usin' your powers after the Mist_.' Naruto sighed with relief, standing up from his position and stepping over scrolls in the process. He wasn't even aware of how tired he was until he slumped over across to his messy baby blue bed. ' _Anyway, g'night_.' Naruto hopped himself in; snuggling into the sheets and sleeping off into wonderland. " **Night, Kit**."

 ---

" _You're like a cosmos_ ," Sakura recalls Ino saying as she stared up at the ceiling. " _A beautiful flower like none other_."

It was at first a soft, warm, fuzzy feeling erupting in her chest. No one ever had complimented her so figuratively, so  _lovingly_. Her mother pitied the daylights out of her. And her father was just some old council man who had too much work on his shoulders to ever spend quality time with his daughter. No one else  _cared_. Not even her beloved Sasuke-kun (sadly).

 

_It was like the whole world had just lit up into a thousand lights._

 

Haruno felt for the petals in-twined in her pink hair and giggled to herself (which was muffled). Her face was now buried in her pillow. ' _I want to be strong_ ,' She thought to herself, her leaf forehead protector clasped to her chest. ' _I want to be something more. I just feel so, so useless all the time. I'd do anything for Sasuke-kun's love...and especially mine.'_

 Without even thinking, she stood up from her bed and, in padded footsteps, hurried to the bathroom with her bunny slippers tucked in just right like her Mother would do sometimes. In the bathroom, she eyes herself in the mirror like the thousands of times she's done so before. Something was different about her reflection. It just wasn't  _her_. A beautiful, pretty girl stared back at her. She wasn't smiling. Her green-eyed gaze was...lonely. 

 From a drawer, she pulled out a knife and brought it close to her long locks of light, pink hair. Biting her lower lip, and trying to look away, she cut off a good chunk off. Only a boyish-looking cut had remained on her head. Feeling numb, she dropped the knife with a clatter. 

 "SAKURA! Dinner's ready!" Heart beating fast, she haphazardly shoved it back into it's drawers and exited the bathroom with a slam. "Coming, mother!" She called, climbing down the staircase.

When she arrived, her father was already sitting at the end of the table reading the newspaper. He waved a ' _hello_ ' and then went back to reading his newspaper the next moment. When Sakura walked over to the kitchen to greet her mother, she had been welcomed with open arms. That is to say, was screamed at without any mercy.

 

What Mrs. Haruno had in her hands had promptly dropped to the floor; simultaneously sending pieces of glass and china in all sorts of directions. "W - what did you do to your hair?" Mebuki asked shrewdly, staring at it in disgust. "You look like  _vermin_."

' _CHA! One insult after another! She sure makes it look easy_.' Inner Sakura grumbled, ready to say her next comeback. " _Moooooom_!" Sakura complains, swatting her hand away angrily. "I do NOT! I so happen to  _like_  the way I look, thank you very much." Sakura imitated Ino's over exaggerated hair flip, but that was almost damn near impossible with much shorter hair. Her mother snorted snobbishly.

"Didn't you say that the boy you had a crush on --  _what's his name?_  -- liked girls with longer hair?" She asked, eyes scrutinizing and looking through her very soul. Sakura suddenly felt like a very small twig that would blow away at any moment. A very small twig, nonetheless. "So what do you get out of this, young lady? And especially without asking to cut off your hair?"

Sakura sighed, looking down ashamed. "I  _did_. But....I'm so tired of looking like this! I hate how I can't even beat any bad guys l - like Sasuke-kun or even that  _baka_..." She sniffled, feeling an emotion burst off inside of her chest. Her lower lip trembled and she suddenly couldn't hold it in anymore. She cried shamelessly, and wiped her tears away out of anger. Her father set down his mug of coffee and stood up to help his daughter. Her mother was about to snap at her, but her husband held her back. 

 

"Honey," Kizashi cautioned. He turned to the cherry blossom and smiled.

 

 

' _I knew it, SHANNARO! They'd never accept me_...' She thought helplessly, with a downcast expression. "Sakura," he started off, "we love you, we always have...even if we don't show it." She snorted at that. "I - I'd be better if I was a medical nin!" She sobbed, "it's something I've always wanted to do...even now when I'm just some plain old  _kunoichi_." Bringing out her leaf forehead protector, she tied it around her forehead in similar fashion to Sasuke-kun or even that  _baka_. She looked up at them with determined eyes. "Please. I've always gotten good grades. I've even become Ino's friend again."

 

"You have?" Kizashi marvelled with wide eyes. "Yeah. Ino gave me this the other day." Sakura gestured to the cosmos in her pink hair. "She thought I looked pretty." Both her parents exchanged a knowing glance, and Mebuki finally gave in. "Well, I suppose it's alright." Mrs. Haruno said slowly, looking at her husband for assurance. He nodded. "But, you still look like a mess! And if you want proper training, you'll need the help of Tsunade-san; one of the most powerful medical nins of all time."

' _One of the legendary sannins_?' Sakura wondered, hitching her breath. ' _No way...they can't be for real. Me? And someone as professional as her? I'd be the laughing stock_.' Her eyes had widened, as a light bulb switched off of her head. ' _And yet....they'd do something like that just for me_?'

 "M - Mom! Dad!" She cried. Sakura burst into tears; launching herself and burying her face into them. They wrapped their arms around her waist. "T - thank you!"

"You're welcome."

 

\---

 

"Hatake-san." The hokage addressed the outlier in the room, turning to face him. "Have you seen anything suspicious about Minato's son?" He asked, as he smoked his pipe. "Nothing as of yet." The  _jounin_  shook his head. "Is there anything else you need to know?"

"Good." Hiruzen sighed. "We cannot let the child ever use his  _Kyuubi_  powers. Do you understand the severity of this situation?" Hatake nodded."The village will only suffer once again if the  _jinchuuriki_  ever lets the seal loose. There'd be no choice but to surrender to the demon completely. It would be dark times for us all. That's why we can't ever allow him to release the Nine-Tails bijuu*. It would just be like the Attack all over again. We still have yet to recover from that, as well." His eyes flickered outside the window for just a moment at all the houses lining up the street. Only some of them were refurnished after the damage inflicted upon them. The rest were abandoned and under construction.

 

_Kakashi was waiting by impatiently._

 

"That's it? That's  _all_  you're going to tell me? Team Seven is waiting for me..." Kakashi starts, trailing off awkwardly. Hiruzen shook his head, turning to face his subject instead. "What about the bond between him and the Uchiha? I've seen through my crystal ball that perhaps even though they are rivals at heart; something is compelling about them."

 

That's an odd question.  _Why not ask about him and Sakura_?

 

"They remind me of me and Obito as  _genin_." Kakashi replied with a chuckle. "We used to fight each other all the time. It's sort of...nostalgic in a way." The Sarutobi nodded in affirmation. "But what else?" Sarutobi pressed for answers, setting down his pipe and instead clearing his desk space of paperwork to see eye to eye with the sensei. "Huh?" Kakashi's black eyes narrowed. " _What else do they remind you of_?" Hiruzen demanded.

"Easily the Uchiha and the Senju clans respectively," Kakashi confessed from right off the tip of his tongue (from memorizing the readings of ancient texts about the rivaling clans). "More specifically, the clash between Hashirama and Madara." He shiverred at the name; the last time he'd heard of them was when his father told him stories. Before he died, that is to say.

"Yes, exactly." Hiruzen remarked platonically. "It was a crisis and a loss for both clans. That's why, at the time, I had Itachi spy on both sides of the spectrum to see what would happen."

Kakashi had vaguely remembered Itachi being part of the ANBU alongside him. One of the star students of his time; an absolute prodigy. And yet...he had murdered the entire clan just like that. Though it is only classified information, he felt like he had been betrayed deeply. A hole had seared into his heart; his best friend had left him.

 There was now a silence between them; both lost in their own thoughts. Kakashi cleared his throat.

"Well, duty calls. I'd better get going, hokage-san."

"Keep an eye out for the boy."

 

' _Will do_.' Kakashi added to himself thoughtfully, and exited outside the hokage's office.

 

* * *

bijuu*= Tailed Beast


	5. The Teme and A Dobe

**|V.**

* * *

 

‘ _Dammit. I ran out of food again. So, I’ll have to...go to the store_.’ He gulped. There was good reason as to why he avoided that place. If he was lucky, he’d get expired food. Or worse, go dumpster diving to get enough food for a day or two. He hated to starve, but if necessary…

 

He  _would_.

 

‘ _At least I’ll start a new diet. I can’t live off of ramen my whole life. I gotta try other foods, like fruits...and vegetables…_ ’ he groaned to himself, and checked his amount in his frog wallet. He deadpanned; there wasn't enough for the week. Luckily, he got some  _ryo_  from his last mission from the Land of Tea, so he considered it enough. With a nod, he ran off to the nearest grocery store around the block. To any passersby, they would’ve seen the familiar orange flash of a blonde idiot and continue their ways.

 As he was on his way, he stopped once he saw a pink head walk by this early in the morning.

 

"Wow, is that you, Sakura?" Naruto gaped openly, looking up and down at her.

 

"Sakura" nodded unabashedly. " _Yup_! The new and improved Sakura 2.0!" She says confidently. "What? Are you so surprised to see me like this?" She gestured to herself, with how her outfit was swapped for a shorter red dress instead of the longer one. Or how she was wearing her headband properly this time. There was just something about her that confused the life out of the blonde.

 

"Y - You look like a boy!" He exclaimed dumbly. For a second, he closed his eyes and expected a hit, but...none came.  _At all_. When he opened them, he just saw her smiling back at him.

"I thought it was time for a change, anyway?" She shrugged. "See you later, baka! I'm off to Ino-Pig's! For some...uhm...' _business_ '! Buh-bye!" And as soon as she came she was gone in just a spur of speed.

 

" _Uh...by_ _e_...?" He says faintly, watching her go off to the Flower Shop with a handful of flower shipments. ' _What's up with her_?' He asked himself, staring off into space. " **Focus, brat**!" The Kyuubi snapped internally. ' _Oh, right! Heh he, silly me_!'

 

Naruto hummed to himself and entered inside the store with a ring of a bell. All the customers stopped exactly what they were doing and just looked at him. It was like a stare-down, making him suddenly feel so small that he wanted to just disappear into thin air. Naruto knew that look. The villagers hated him; even now.

 

Laughing nervously, he brushed past the mass amounts of people and walked around the aisle for something to buy with his ryo. He squinted, and placed a hand to his chin in contemplation. ' _Man...have prices of oranges always been so -- I don't know -- PRICEY?'_

He didn't think much of it, and just tossed it into the green bin he had in his hand. Same with all the others foods he bought. Expired milk, rotted apples; it was all the same. they hated him that much that all the food they didn't need was sold out to him. He hated it, but faked a smile; even though he so badly hated the injustice just because he was the Nine Tails.

 

“Oh, it’s the demon,” the man drawled, looking at the cheap food he placed on the counter. “You know the rules, kid. Pay double or you get none.” He nodded numbly, and held out his frog wallet. He passed the  _ryo_  over and he grunted in response.  The man shook his head. 

Naruto tapped his foot impatiently; trying to think of any alternative. He looked around and saw someone in a blue shirt and white shorts nearby. They had black hair and was holding onto a green grocery bag.

 

“Uh, Sasuke?” he asked, looking at his other team mate. “What’re you doing here?”

“Tch, you moron. I was just buying some tomatoes for myself, obviously. Are you so much of an idiot that you didn’t even notice?” he smirked, but then Naruto dropped his bag in the heat of the moment and launched himself at the other teen. They both crashed to the floor; Naruto on top and Sasuke bottom. “You  _bastard_! Can’t you just stop being a dickwad for just a second?” Then, just realizing their position, he blushed. Sasuke flipped him over, also dropping his bag. “Not my fault you’re such a chicken that you can’t even take a hit like a man. Besides, I’m better than you in almost every single way. Deadlast.”

Naruto’s cheeks turned red in either embarrassment or humiliation, and his bright, blue eyes darkened. “ _Let me go_! Get off of me and leave me alone!” he yelled for the whole store to hear. People just laughed at him behind his back and watched the two in mock amazement. “As if I’ll do that, deadlast. Besides, they’re all watching. Wouldn’t want to ruin the show, now would we?” His smile looked smug and Naruto hated his guts, if possible, even more.

Naruto used his last resort, as the boy continued to pin him to the ground.

Using Kyuubi’s chakra, his skin flared with a firelike energy. Sasuke’s hand flinched away from the impact, and held his burnt hand. “W-what did you do, moron?” he asked, with a hint of panic. Naruto grinned. Of course he’d be the only one that made the emo emotional.

 

“Hahah! Sucks to be you!” He ran at supersonic speed and sped off, with an angry blunette behind him. His food left forgotten on the floor.

 

\---

Naruto sat on his sofa, playing with his photo of his mother and father. His blond bangs shadowed half of his face. He wasn't crying, but he felt so, so empty. He looked at his frog wallet and sighed. ' _Dammit...I forgot. Now I hafta go back an' everything_.

 

_"Your thoughts are so loud, I can hear them miles away, dobe."_

 

Naruto jumped a miles a minute. He blinked, blue eyes big and scared. Sasuke was at the doorway, his arms and legs crossed. He looked down at the smaller boy with a condescending smirk. "WHAT THE HELL,  _TEME_! I was, uh," He scoots the family frame under the pillow without Sasuke noticing. "Meditating! Yeah! And..." He trailed off awkwardly, trying to think of something --  _ANYTHING_! -- but to no avail. And Sasuke saw it, too. In a few seconds, he was by his side. Naruto flinched, his hairs standing on end.

 

"Liar. Let me see." Sasuke said, snatching the old and worn picture of Minato and Kushina (courtesy of Pervy-Sage). His black eyes narrowed as he stared at the redhaired woman and the blonde man in the picture. He was wearing the Hokage's robes and everything ; he recognized him as the Yondaime. But...is  _Naruto_  the...?

 

 _No_. Not the time to think of that right now.

 

"Who are these?" He asked quietly; in a voice no higher than a whisper. Naruto crossed his arms, pouting cutely, and looking away. "None of your business, Sasuke!" He stuck out his tongue. "Hn, whatever." Sasuke stood up from his bed; and shoved his hands into his pocket coolly. "Well? Let's go training. There's no missions as of yet." He walked to the door, waiting for the blond. 

"No one invited you into my apartment, bastard!" Growled Naruto, gritting his teeth. "Oh," Sasuke said suddenly, tossing a grocery bag to him. Naruto caught it with wide eyes.

 

"Let's go." 

 


	6. Our Bonds

  **V.**

* * *

"Took you long enough," Sasuke said at the door; tapping his foot impatiently and checking the time on his watch. It was exactly 5:00 PM on the dot.

"S - SHUT UP! Jeez!" Growled Naruto; his fists curling up in anger. He still hated how the  _teme_  thought he could overpower him, even in his own house! He had the upper hand here in almost every way! And Naruto hated it.

Sasuke snorted and walked outside with all their supplies and everything ( _including kunai sets, scrolls, shuriken and then some, and also old texts about chakra_ ). "Uh...whoa." Naruto crouched down to the book bag and flipped through the pages eagerly. There were tons of illustrations of people with elements around their bodies and their energies or whatnot.

"What is this stuff?" He says incredulously; scrunching his eyes up in thought. Sasuke thought it looked cute internally, but even he wouldn't say something like that in public. That was simply child's play. "Tch, you idiot." Sasuke snatched it back with a huff, "If you had a brain, then you'd know that all of these documents were from my family's library." Seeing Naruto's face fall, he adds in too quickly than he'd liked to admit, "Don't sweat it, dobe. Go ahead and read it." He shoves it into his chest and turns away; his face flaring up in red.

"' _Read_?' Oh..." Naruto looked down at his lap sadly. If only he wasn't self-taught. Sure, Iruke-sensei taught him bits and pieces of kanji here and there, but it wasn't enough to become smart enough like Sakura-chan or even the bastard.

And seeing how he'd be test taking during the Chuunin Exams... _A wonder he was so stupid_. He was largely illiterate and his writing was always in chicken scratch.

Sadly, he looked down at his hands; the ones that he stabbed into with a kunai. Luckily, he had Kurama to heal his cuts, but still...

It  _hurt_. Even now, he couldn't smile without faking it completely. Which is why Sasuke was wondering what the hell was going on with the blonde. He heard Sasuke stand up from beside him, and place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He gasped, looking up into the face of his rival.

"C'mon," he said, and they all carried their packs as they walked around the village.

And Naruto grinned.

* * *

"We need to get stronger," Sasuke snarled; "Strong enough for us to beat each other into a bloody pulp. And I'm ready now more than ever. The stupid Chuunin Exams can wait. Catch," he tossed a water bottle. And Naruto caught it with a look of confusion.

"So, uh, Sasuke..." His blue eyes looked around Konoha, and he spotted the heated looks from the villagers. They still hated him, and he tried not to show it.

"Why're you walking with me?" he sputtered, as they were holding hands together. Something that seemed even a little more than..."friendly". The Uchiha's eyes widened and he shoved it into his pocket with a glare.

"Because," Sasuke says, as if that was answer enough. "' _Because'_?" The blonde boy repeated with a raised brow.

"I - I just wanted to, okay?! Now quit asking me stupid questions!" Sasuke snaps, looking to the side and blushing slightly; but Naruto didn't see any of it. He sure is acting suspicious all of a sudden...

' _What's with him lately? Normally he acts all high and mighty, but today he's_...' If he's losing his composure like this, then that means he's losing control. He giddily thought to himself, with an over the top muscular chibi version of himself standing over the corpse of a chibi beaten up Sasuke. He crushed the boy into pieces, the whopping 200 Ib. persona of himself with abs and muscles big enough to squash the teen to the death. Like a squished ant, Sasuke was suffocated to death, and Naruto kissed his own muscular arm with a laugh.

And a Haruno swooning over him with hearts hovering over her head.

' _Sakura-chan would be so proud of me_!' He gushed, with blood filled cheeks. He could just imagine the girl falling head over heels for him, literally leaping from heaven like a fallen angel and into his awaiting arms. " _Naruto-kun, I love you~_!" His image of Sakura giggles. Just hearing those words come out of her mouth was like a dream come true. He passionately kissed her under the light of the sunset on top of his hokage's head on the mountain. And together they live happily ever after. The end.

- Score one for Naruto Uzumaki! -

" **Snap out of, Kit! The Uchiha is looking at you all funny-like**."

Glancing at him, he knew. He was a little behind him, but gradually picked up his pace with a peeved look.

Naruto narrowed his eyes and tried to walk faster and trying not to trip over his own feet. But of course, Sasuke caught up to him. Cockily, he walked even faster, and eventually at full speed. But, he wasn't even watching where he was going. And so he bumped into a pole face first. He fell to the floor unconscious, with stars twinking over his head like in cartoons.

" _Usuratonkachi_." Sasuke shook his head, and crossed his arms. ' _What a loser_ ,' he thinks with a smirk; looking down at the idiot. He nudged his foot into his crotch. His limp body twitched and then the boy continued snoring on and on. "Hn, definitely out like a light." Sasuke observed, crouching down his level.

"Maa, maa." Kakashi said from up above them. He was propped up on the lamp post and he waved to the two of them. "Hope you're having fun down there. Feel free to invite me in on you sometime. I swear I won't bite."

"Sensei. Shut up." Sasuke said seriously.

"Aww, but that's no fun. Well, whatever." He snapped his  _Icha Icha Paradise_  book shut. "Time for a date with a dolphin! Hoo hoo!" In a poof of smoke, he was gone.

Sasuke stared off after him, and sighed. What a weirdo.  _Dolphins_? Those were only in the Land of Waves. Anyway, that didn't matter. Training could wait 'til later. Right now, he had a certain ninja to worry about.

Hoisting the blonde over his shoulder; he leapt away from the streets. Hopefully, the baka wouldn't mind sleeping with him for the night. With that thought in mind, he hurried off to his estate swiftly.

What he didn't know, was that a certain redhead was watching them carefully.

 

 


	7. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not finished, yet!  
> (oh and an OOC Sasuke)

**V|.**

* * *

Sasuke was staring at the sleeping face of his rival. In complete silence, he stared at all the details of his sallow face. Looking at the three whiskers at the sides, he slowly stroked it.

 

And then flinched as if he just touched ice. 

 

' _D - damnit! What the hell am I doing! I can't do something like this to my own teammate...'_ He swore to himself, and inched away from the futon. The floorboards creaked as he stood up and stretched. Though he was still sleepy himself, he had things to do. He walked over to his closet and changed into his pajamas, but stopped once he heard a sound. His eyes widened in alarm, but then thought nothing of it once it was silent again. So, he quietly pulled his sleeves on, and heard it again. Sasuke knew it wasn't something minor. So, he sat down beside Naruto, searching for any signs of what he had heard, and saw it for himself once Naruto's mouth opened. 

 

The blonde's breath hitched, and as Sasuke placed an ear against his chest, he could hear the  _thump thump_  of his heartbeat. It was abnormally apace, and then the Uchiha felt for his pulse and it was the same again. Not only that, but he could distinctly smell the sweat off his skin. 

 " _M - Mom...Dad_..." Naruto groaned in his sleep; his brow furrowed as he grunted.

"Shh, shh, it's only me,  _dobe_." Sasuke whispered, cradling him close to his chest. "It's OK."

He laid his head on his lap and hummed a lullaby his mother used to sing for him whenever he had nightmares. Why he did it, even he didn't know.  _His body just moved on it's own;_ purely out of instinct. 

 

Naruto shifted in his sheets, and his fishnet shirt slid up his stomach. Sasuke caught a full view of his seal, and felt his shoulder sting simultaneously. Hissing, his hand clutched it and an image of a snake man filled his vision. He fell asleep unawares.

 

\---

_Naruto was walking in a field of flowers. The cicadas were crying at a distance and he watched with big blue eyes as hundreds and hundreds of colorful butterflies flew out of the flowers into the sky. It was like a rainbow of colors and Naruto felt so refreshed at the feeling and smiled._

_It was sunny, with no chance of clouds in the sky. It was blue and big like his eyes. He ran around and laughed; full of life at last. For the first time, in a long time, he felt... **free**. Free from the village, free to be who he was.  **Himself**. No words were enough to explain his euphora; this sensation of expressing himself after all of this time. As he's speeding through the grass, he stops at a tree on top of a small hillside._

_Curious, walks up to it and his fingertips touch the bark of the tree. A green, luscious tree in a meadow of yellow out of nowhere?_

 

_Beside him, he feels two people with their hands on his shoulder. Turning around, he almost pisses his pants once he sees who it is. Kushina and Minato are there in the flesh._

 

_" **Mom**...?  **Dad**...?" They nod, and hug him like a mother and father to a son. Something that Naruto isn't familiar with; foreign at best._

 

_"There you are. We've looked everywhere for you." His mother lifted up his surprisingly small body and kisses him on the cheek. He blushed, and looked to the side._

_"Otousan. Okaasan." He mumbles, as Kushina is holding him in her arms over a baby bump. Minato chuckles_

_"Don't you know? We were playing hide and seek. Now that we've found you, it's your turn." The redhead tickles his feet and he laughs like "little bell."_

 

_"Where are we?" he demanded in a haughty voice. There was no time! If this was just a dream, he needed to know for sure._

 

_" **Home** ," Minato says, pointing to the small village far past the meadow of flowers. "Eh...eh to," he muttered, his eyes filled with tears. No, no this couldn't be real. The villagers still shunned him, right? If it were real, then wouldn't he have a family to come back to? To say "I'm here" and then a "welcome home" from his parents. _

 

_Seeing his son's sad face, he added reassuringly,_

_"Though, when I'm not the Hokage, I am always playing with you." The blonde says, his blue eyes beaming with light. It took a moment for Naruto to process all of this. Whether this was real or not, he would enjoy it. Any moment with family was a moment he savored. "We all love you, see? So there's nothing to be sad about." Kushina says in a loving voice, soothing him until he felt better again. He wiped away his tears and smiled at them again._

 

_" **There is the jinchuuriki**." mused Itachi._

 

_A man with black hair tied in a ponytail enters the clearing. His black robes are covered with red clouds._

 

_All life surrounding him turns to ash and cinders; crinkling in his wake. Coolly, he swishes past the once alive flowers that die under his feet. He's now at the foot of the tree and the couple eye him suspiciously._

 

_"Who are you," Minato says sternly; his body blocking off his wife and child from whoever this stranger is._

 

_"You're...Itachi, aren't you?" Kushina asks sweetly, her face clouded with emotion, "You're Mikoto's son, right? So, why...?" She looks at the cloak pointedly with bittersweetness. **What could cause a star student to become one with the Akatsuki? And...why?**_

 

_"Hn," Itachi replies, "None of your business, Namikaze. Your son...I need him." His voice is void of emotion, and is clouded with a blank face. His black eyes stare at the baby in her arms._

 

_"NO!" screamed Kushina. "I won't let you have him. I - I can't believe you joined a criminal organization! How could you...? You...you..." She was left speechless, and her lower lip trembled. Tears streamed down her cheek; distraught with betrayal. Didn't she just see him the other day with his brother, Sasuke? They were training and talking with her best friend, Mikoto. And somehow..._

 

_No, she wouldn't live it down._

 

_Which is why he wouldn't let him have his way with her child._

 

_" **MAGEKYOU SHARINGAN**!" Itachi screams, and the couple crinkle against the tree. They are put under an Infinite Tsukuyomi; giving Itachi the ample opportunity to take him now._

 

_"I am sorry. Forgive me for this." His hands hover over and sucks out his chakra. "Goodnight, baby boy._

 

 The fields fade into blackness until Naruto is standing in his now normal form. 

 

_He stares in front of a mirror now. It was all cracked, and shattered into miniscule pieces._

 

_But, what really caught his attention was that his family was staring back at him.The heads of his mother and father were blacked out. There was no hope. Hundreds of crows flocked all around him. Feathers fell to the floor as they flew._

_" **I am waiting for you** ," one of the crows cawed with red eyes. The eyes of the Sharingan. The bird flew away until his dream was no more._

\---

And all Naruto could think of through his nightmare was of the death of his mother and father, over and over again.

 


	8. The Sharingan Moon

**V||.**

* * *

 

 

Kakashi Hatake was sleeping in with his boyfriend, Iruka sensei. The brunette's snoring was cute at times, but Hatake was trying to slumber,  _damn it!_

 

_And yet..._

 

He felt Obito's eye tingle into his eyelid. His teammate's Sharingan flared red and as he looked up at the moon, he gasped. The moon was blood red, and was shaped into the Sharingan. That was enough for Kakashi to lose his $h!t.

' _What the hell_ ,' he thinks, squinting his eyes as if not believing what he's seeing. 

He stands up with his pink, bunny slippers and hurries off to the Uchiha Estate with his bedrobe still on. Before he leaves, he plants a quick kiss on Iruka's forehead and hurries out the door. He has a library to head over to.

 ---

As Kakashi walks along the streets of Konoha ( _He doesn't want to alert any shinobi for running past curfew_ ), he hears someone awake beside him. Turning around, he's face to face with his studious cherry blossom student. 

"S - sensei?" Sakura asked sleepily, opening the door of her house. There are bags under her eyes, and she seems to still be half-asleep.  "I sensed you," she says, stifling a yawn. "Um, whatever you're doing, come on in inside." She says in a hushed voice. Kakashi sighs; torn between letting a teammate know or just going on ahead to the Uchiha Library. He decides the latter of the two, but before he can even get a word in edgewise; he's already inside of the house. It was large, if not a bit spacey. There was a fireplace crackling, and it illuminated the room slightly. 

 

She leads him to a table and he sits down, as she stalks off to the kitchen.

"Do you want any tea?" She asks in a civil tone, like a housewife greeting a guest. He shakes his head, and she hurries to stir the tea bag into the hot water. Once it's ready, she walks to sit opposite of him.

"So, sensei. What're you doing here so late at night?" She asks, sipping her own cup. He rests his head on his palm, and his other hand drumming his fingers on the coffee table between them. He 

 

"Alright, alright. You caught me. I suppose there's no hiding it any longer," he says, admitting defeat, "Haven't you seen the full moon, yet? I think that would answer your question." 

 

She huffed and looked past his shoulder and out the window at the night sky. The cup dropped to the floor, unnoticed.

 

" _Sensei_?" She breathed; disbelieving. "N - No way.  _How_...?" She looks between the blood moon and her teacher; her green eyes wide.

 

He sighed, hating how he had to elaborate on everything. Seriously, _couldn't his students read a book or two about what it means to become a ninja_? It would make his life a little less difficult to deal with.

 

"Well," he says levelly, "this is why I'm walking out in the middle of the night. To see for myself if Sasuke has anything noteworthy about... _well_...whatever this is." He waves wildly at the blood moon above them and the cherry blossom nods.

 

Her eyes turned into hearts in a matter of seconds. Her face became red like a tomato. "Oh, Sasuke..." She says in a lust-filled voice. Suddenly, she stands up and she drags her sensei like a ragdoll to the door. "OK! I'm going with you! No buts, and no ifs!  _Capiche_?" She says boldly; saving brave face. Kakashi rolls his eyes from behind his mask.

 

"Yeah, what you said." Kakashi says lazily, as they leave the Haruno household together in search of the Uchiha Estate.

 

 

\---

 "Almost...there..." Sakura said, as she panted. She hadn't walked so far in such a long time. But, it was all worth it! If she got to see Sasuke herself, hell, she'd do anything for him!

And if word got out that she saw Sasuke sleeping, then  _oooo_  Ino would be so jealous of her! She couldn't wait to get her hands on him, and she giggled internally at all the things could do. ' _SHANNARO! Wait for me, my love!'_ She snickered at the very thought of winning Sasuke over, and she'd prove to their faces that she was THE princess; not them. And Kakashi frankly had had enough of his lovesick student. It was gradually growing by the second the more he spent time with her.  _Excessive much?_

"So, you know where he is?" He asked, looking around on alert. He couldn't let his guard down, not even for a minute. That's what Obito's death had taught him all those years ago. And even if he's dead, now...

 

 _No_.

 

The time to think about the past was nigh. He's living in the present, now, and the future wasn't important at the moment.

" _Mmhmm_! Alright, I've got a whole map made just for us. See, this is the interior of his house." She pointed to the crudely drawn picture that was apparently Sasuke's house. The inside had all of these rooms, and Kakashi couldn't help but think how'd she know every single detail of a house she's never been in. How she managed to pull this off, even Kakashi didn't know.

"Isn't that borderline stalking?" Kakashi questioned quietly. Sakura shushed him as they crept closer and closer to Sasuke's front entrance. They jumped bush to bush as quickly as they could and they were now at his door.

 ' _I wonder how Naruto's doing...wherever Minato's son is_.' The Sharingan-user thinks, as he carefully opened it with a creak. Sakura squealed in excitement from beside him. ' _Damn you, fangirls_...' He thinks, and cautiously enters inside the blasted darkness.

"I - I've known him ever since we were children! Of course I know what his house looks like, inside and out." She says confidently, hands on her hips. "I'd bet my life on it!"

He humphs, and shuts the door from behind them. 

 

"Wow, it's so dark in here." Sakura says, stating the obvious. Kakashi slouched his shoulders; this was really getting out of hand.

 

"SASUKE!" Sakura lit a match from her pouch onto wax as she called out his name. And held out a candle as their only light source. The duo are in the living room, where it leads to a kitchen and other side rooms. There's also a staircase that leads upstairs. The two are careful not to step on anything, so they carefully evade anything that's in their way, since they can't see a thing.

The duo continue walking around throughout halls and halls. It's like a maze that never seems to end. _How DID Sasuke live like this every single day?_

Kakashi couldn't even imagine doing this daily; especially with all of these twists and turns. "SASUKE!" She calls out again.

 

"SHH!" Kakashi shushed her. " _Can't you see_? He's sleeping!" He says, exasperated that the girl just can't take a hint.

 

" _Gomen_. Oh, um, sorry, Sensei." She forced a smile, and the walk was silent for awhile; neither of them knowing what to say. It continued on like this, until they sought the door at the end of the hallway. The copy-nin faintly sensed two chakra signatures in there, and opened it. To Sakura, he put a finger to his lips. She nodded, and the two walked inside.

 

_Sakura almost screamed._

 

"Ah, there they are," Kakashi says, over the two bodies that are currently wrapped around the futon in the middle of the room. The two were like Yin and Yang; one the sun and the other the moon. It was beautiful, in an idealogical way. Kakashi lamented this, as his eye looked at them proudfully. The two had finally done it. Just as he had suspected.

"Aww, aren't they the cutest?" Hatake cooes, watching the two sleep together. Sakura jolted as if shocked by lightning and backed away to the door ; shaking her head repeatedly. The Haruno covered her mouth with both hands. Her pink bangs shadowed her eyes, and she looked away; ashamed of herself. ' _N - Naruto...and Sasuke_?' She thinks, blinking tears out of her eyes, ' _It...it can't be true, can it_?  _Isn't Sasuke supposed to be sleeping with me? He's always saved Naruto, not me. So..why_?' Against the door, she slides down. Burying her head in her hands; her legs are against her chest. Heartbroken, she's sobs, and the candle is tossed aside. The last light flickers.

 

And then, falls.

 


	9. Secrets of the Uchiha

**V|||.**

* * *

Sakura was still in a state of shock. At first, denial. Anger at the fact that they were together, sad that she couldn't be the one Sasuke loved, and heartbroken that Sasuke wasn't the man she had dreamed of after all of the years crushing on him. "Sakura..." Kakashi said in a singsong voice. "As cute as this is, we still have a mission to complete. One that is imperative for figuring out the mystery that is the moon."

"O - oh, right." She said, sadly, helping herself up. Shakily, her hand felt for the doorknob and opened it ajar. "Let's go, sensei."

"Hmm, so supposedly the secret entrance of his is through the bookshelf. Do you see anything like that around here?" He asked, holding the map with his forefingers. Sakura snatched it out of his hands. "Let  _me_  look at that," she snapped, eyes scanning through the sketch of the house for any signs of something suspicious.

She nodded numbly. "Hai. Ino told me where it was a long time ago. I think it's in the living room, but I'm not so sure myself." She shrugged, "let's at least check there for starters," she tried to sound strong, but on the inside, it hurt like hell. She didn't know what to think anymore, it was like her whole world had switched completely. The old Sakura used to think it was all sunshines and rainbows. She became a  _kunoichi_  to prove herself to her family that she wasn't useless. And yet...

_Wasn't that what she was, all along?_

Whenever she was in the face of danger, Naruto had always saved the day. Not Sasuke,  _Naruto_. Always saying how much he loved her, and would do anything for her sake. She remembered that, as she cried. ' _You baka_...' she thinks fondly, wiping the tears away off her cheeks. ' _You were always there for me, even in the very beginning. I hated you, and yet_...'

And yet, she didn't even realize until now. Funny, how the world worked like that. Something so major, that it seemed like nothing to her.

' _I'm so stupid_...' she bites her lower lip, as more tears trickle down her pretty face, ' _So, so stupid. He was right there all this time. Of course Sasuke fell for him. And so, so did I_.' She follows Kakashi sullenly, still trying to wrap her head around after all that has happened. Sadly, she knew she had to accept it.  _Honestly_? When Sasuke had shown her multiple times how much he hated her, she thought he was acting cool. She thought he loved her, but was just too shy to admit it. But, now...if only she'd realize sooner. His eyes was always set on his little brother, not his big sister. She hated it all the same, but it made sense.

She placed a hand over her heart.

Yes, she would accept this. Just this once, she reminded herself halfheartedly. "Hmm, I still dislike how dark it is here," Kakashi says, narrowing his eyes as they tiptoe to the living room. "Let's see if there's anything out of place. That's the key."

He looks around with the now lit candle and looks around in alarm. He sniffs the air and smells the stench of dead bodies. Of course, his student didn't need to know that. After all, the Uchiha Massacre was so screwed; Kakashi was surprised Sasuke was still sane after all of that bloodshed and witnessing his family die one by one. Meanwhile, Sakura looks under floorboards that are gathered in cobwebs and dust.  _Nothing_. Through closets, wardrobes, and curtains she looked, but there was no bookshelf in sight. Her fingers trace the walls, for any cracks.

Her finger is  _stuck_ in place.

There's a pin encased in the exact spot, and it pricks her finger. Blood trickles down and sticks onto the wall. It flashes in an aurora of lights. From behind the wall, a bookshelf surges forward, with a seal encased within it. Sakura watches this with wide eyes. She sucks her thumb and hums to herself.

"Sensei! Lookie here, I found it!" She shouts out to him, puffing her chest out proudly. He's there in a few seconds, and gapes at the discovery of her findings.

Kakashi pats her head with a smile, "Good job, Sakura. Now, let's see here," he places a hands to his chin contemplatively. "If only I understood Japanese...and whatever this is..." He eyes the scroll stuck to the very center of the bookshelf. "Hmm..." Sakura blinks, trying to think through her lessons about the language. Iruka sensei had deliberately taught her about  _kanji_  here and there, but this.

This was the real kicker.

**" _Through shadow and pain..._**

_**One must know** _

_**Of Madara's name** _

_**Seek the prophet, seek the priest** _

_**But the time** _

_**Is of the East** _

_**Know the eyes, of red and sinner** _

**_Owe the soul to lies;_ ** **_Goal to dead winner_ **

_**To sacrifice mind and soul** _

_**And find only then** _

**_Till the door to destiny opens_."**

"I...don't understand," Sakura shakes her head, reading it over and over again. But, it still made no sense. Madara?  _Who was Madara?_  The name sounded...familiar. But from where? "Though I by no means am an expert at riddles, I can at least suggest this much..." He held up a finger. "One, they're telling us to submit ourselves to this seal. There could be a third party involved. Which is why I'm skeptical about this. ' _The door to destiny_ '...does this mean the Library itself? And what about this priest and this prophet they're talking about?" he asks, his brain on full detective mode.

"WELL! Um...Let's do it, then!" She says, full of courage. "Please, sensei. We ought to find out about this moon. And this is the only way how..."

" _No_ ," He holds up a hand to stop her, "Only I can do this. I am your sensei, and right now it isn't happy hour for all of the other ninja; including the hokage. Wait here, and if I don't come back...assume the worst." She about to stop him, that no it wasn't worth it, that sacrificing himself wouldn't do a thing, and yet...

He activates his Sharingan, and faints on the spot.

"S - sensei! Wake up, please!" She says, trying to snap him out of it. But, there's no use. He's already in lala land (1).

**XXX**

The colors around him were completely inverted, the clouds above them were red and black. Below him was nothing, but the water surrounding himself.

Standing up, he looked around warily. If all those years of shinobi teaching taught him anything, it was to always be on edge. ' _The next moment could be your last_ ', he remembered vividly. Holding out a kunai just in case, he stayed on the safe side and looked around on guard. "Well, well, well." A familiar voice knocks Kakashi out of his reverie. "If it isn't Commander."

"O - Obito...?" He says in surprise.  _How the hell was he still alive?_  Turning around, he sees him face to face and stares.

The Uchiha was a fully grown man now, no longer the little boy he used to know before he died. His face was crinkled in white. One eye was blinded, while the other was staring at Kakashi impassively. His ninja robes were purple, a contrast compared to his memorable blue and orange jumpsuit he used to wear. In his hands, there was an orange mask with swirls on it. "It's been awhile, old friend." Obito says, and shakes his hand. Kakashi shakes it back, still feeling numb to his stomach.  _Was this really his teammate that died that day?_  No...he couldn't be. He just can't.

"You look...different. What happened to you? After you died?" He questions, not knowing why his and Obito's Sharingans were activated. He didn't even activate it to begin with. Was it out of control? Or was it reacting to the two friends reunited; the two eyes of the owner now back together as one?

"Bakashi." Obito punched his shoulder lightly. "You stupid. You're even dumber than when you were a kid." He teased, knowingly. "I suppose Minato taught us well then." answered Hatake sarcastically, who was still confused at the odd turn of events. How did a simple research of the moon turn into suddenly meeting a dead Uchiha?

"..."

"I see you're trying to break into the Uchiha library. I suppose that's how you summoned me here." Obito glances to the side, and Kakashi sees Sakura over his body crying her heart out. Apparently, he wasn't there with her. Odd, because he swore he was there, like, five seconds ago? "The Sharingan moon. Tell me about it. I can't be the only one that thinks it's strange that it suddenly shows up out of nowhere!" He exclaims, trying to see reason with his childhood friend. "...You're not wrong," Obito says finally, placing the mask over his face. To which Kakashi stiffened, because he couldn't quite place how he'd seen it somewhere.

"Actually, it acted up BECAUSE of another Uchiha. It tends to become active once there are others using it's power. It dates back through ancient times." He states off the tip of his tongue. He turns to Kakashi with an annoyed look, "Don't you read, Bakashi? For someone as smart as you, you apparently can't seem to remember " Kakashi shook his head. "That was ages ago. Of course I can't remember an old text by heart over a decade or two. But, that's beside the point."

"Obito, listen to me carefully. Inside that Library there's something very special to us. One that I must get my hands on as soon as possible. For the sake of the village and...for the sake of myself." And it was true. There was an unusual energy resonating from the library itself. And one Uchiha wasn't enough to spill it's secrets.

"No can do."

' _Damn, he's stubborn_...' Kakashi cursed to himself silently. ' _At least that part of him hasn't changed...though what concerns me is how there's no use convincing him otherwise_.' He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped once he saw a slight movement from his former friend.

Obito took a step closer to him, reciting the riddle seal and then smirking. "' _Sacrificing mind and soul_.' Is that really what you want to do?" Seeing Kakashi narrow his eyes, he added, "Just saying, Commander. Seems a bit over the top to me."

More silence filled the air.

"Where's Rin? Is she alright?" Obito asked, as they sat down and looked at Sakura still crying over his 'dormant' body.

"I... do not know." Suddenly, Kakashi has a sinking feeling that he's killed her. A chidori through the chest. He doesn't know whether it was real or not. The Sharingan-user didn't like the sound of that, though.

"Obito..."

Now Kakashi saw what they were standing on. They were back in the forest, during the mission where they were attacked by the rock nin.

"This is goodbye..."

With a forlorn expression, Obito opened his arms as if waiting for an embrace. The welcoming sweet smell of death...

"Kill me. End my suffering already...cleanse all of my sins!" He screams, looking up into the heavens. A storm swirled around the clouds; rain pelting down to the earth. Lightning struck a tree, alighting it into flames. Knowing what was going to happen nest, Kakashi's eyes widened as he cast a glance at his comrade.

" _Wha_  -! Obito, NO!" Hatake screamed, trying to stop him in time. But he was far too late.

Rocks the size of boulders crashed from above the cliff downwards. Kakashi leapt away in time, but the ghost image of his best friend hadn't. With wide eyes, he watched yet again as he died right before his eyes. With one last look, Obito looked at him with his Sharingan activated.

Exhaling shakily, Kakashi shoved the boulders off of him wildly, earning cuts on his hands in the process. Wincing from the pain, but not nearly enough he continued. Tears in his eyes, he finally reaches the body of his dead partner. Only to see that all life had left him.

"Please, Kakashi..." His friend outstretches a hand and the other clasps it like his life depends on it. "Take my eyes, it's the least you could do." Obito choked, hacking out blood and coughing. His black eyes looked up at him imploringly.

"You know...I'm glad that I got to meet you." Hatake shook his head repeatedly, biting his lower lip. "You were one of the first that I hated...still do, actually," He laughed, but then grunted from the force of the boulders against his motionless limbs. "Heh heh, look at me now, 'Kashi...is this what dying looks like? It's a heck lot more than what I imagined..."

" _Don't say that_!" Kakashi snapped, trying his damnedest not to cry, or shout, or scream, or  _anything_. He was completely helpless in this situation where his friend was dying.  _Yet again._

"Stop wasting your breath, stupid!  _Why'd you sacrifice yourself for me_?" He shook his dying body, looking down at the teen in his arms.

The Uchiha smiled softly at him, staring instead at the sky. Two stars twinkled at a distance. " _Why_? Because..." He thought back to the times when his crush chastised him for beating up his rival in battle.

X

**_"Obito." He remembered Rin saying to him once, tending to his wounds. "Just because you're reckless doesn't mean you can charge head on onto your own commander! Even Kakashi is smarter than that!"_ **

**_"Hmph..."_ **

**_He held out his hand for Nohara to wrap the cloth over. The movement stung._ **

**_"Ouch! That hurts..."_ **

**_"Sorry!" As she ties it into place, Obito cleared his throat and started again._ ** **_"Look, it's like what I said. Not my fault he's so good at everything. He doesn't even lift a finger! I hate how lucky he is."_ **

**_"Yes, but he didn't become that way overnight." She scolded, tsking. "He worked hard to become who he is today. His father died earlier this year. Notice how he didn't shed a tear; he still stuck with us even though he was on his own? And he's already becoming a handsome young man with a dream of his own! To become an ANBU and maybe one day the hokage if he wants to!" She says lovingly, but then turns on him. "And you...all you ever do is complain and then some!"_ **

_**"H- Hey!" He protested. Thinking back to what she said about him being an orphan, he began to realize that he wasn't fortunate at all. Parents, dead at this age? He could barely hold his own, let alone act without emotion. How the heck could he do it everyday, knowing his own family had died out and he was the only one left?** _

_'I...never knew.'_

**_He heard her shift from beside him, settling in a suitable position before stating her own thoughts._ **

**_"Listen, Obito. There's something I wanted to talk to you about." She began nervously. "I know that you hate Kakashi's guts. Like, a lot, a lot. But he's not actually as bad as you think he is." The two were sitting a bench, eyes set on the cherry blossoms in front of them. "Y'know...Minato-sensei told me one time that true strength comes from bonds. Even though we're really close...these days I just never see the two of you together outside of missions. For being supposed 'friends' it's like you two are complete strangers. It's such -" She sighed, looking down at her lap. "-a disappointment."_ **

**_"Just promise me you'll spend some time with him. That's all."_ **

**_"Oh, alright." He gave in, knowing he could never say no to the one he loved the most. Not when she looked so happy like this._ ** **_"Yay~! I knew I could believe in you." She cheered, hugging him shortly, and then hopping off the bench to stand up._ **

**_Her gaze went to his, eyes lighting up with happiness. "Tee hee! Just some food for thought. Think it over a bit. See ya later!" And she faded away from his memory momentarily._ **

X

"...because you gave my life meaning; a purpose. Without you, I'd..."

_...Never have died a hero._

' _Thank you_...' Obito beamed at him brightly, tears trickling down his face, as Death swept him away.

"You  _idiot_!" Kakashi slammed a fist on the ground, at the unfairness of it all. "Y - you let yourself die again..." He scrunched up his face behind his mask, baring his teeth with squeezed shut eyes. Pulling out his kunai, he held it high and then stabbed his teammate's socket.

"Obito!"

**XXX**

And Kakashi awoke to the real world in a cold sweat.

Oh, fuck.

_What would his dolphin say?_


	10. A Day At Sasuke's

**|X.**

* * *

"Hatake-san! Are you OK?" Kakashi sat up from Sakura's lap and looked around; if not a bit on edge after that fiasco. " _Sakura_? Oh, it's only you." His body visibly relaxed and he stood up. Looking up, he saw the familiar faces of Mrs. Haruno and Mr. Haruno. They smiled down at him. "I'm alright. What happened?" The tension in the air lessened slowly but surely.

"Thank goodness. I had to take you back all the way over here by myself. You're heavier than most men I know, sensei!" She laughed, punching his shoulder good naturedly. Little by little, Kakashi was seeing less of an idiot of a girl, but now someone worthy of being a Genin. Something about her...had changed that night along with Sasuke and Naruto's relationship. She seemed more selfless, and strong willed; quite unlike her former self. Sensei saw herself growing stronger by the day. And it was...somewhat satisfying to see her become more adult and less of a teenage fangirl.

"Gee, thanks." Kakashi says sarcastically, "you didn't happen to...look behind my mask, did you?" He asked, with a hint of teasing in his voice.

She shook her head, her long pink hair shaking back and forth. "Heh, it was tempting at first!" She admitted, "But, I didn't do it. Not because my gut told me to. But it just wouldn't be right to treat you like that." She brushed back a stray pink hair behind her ear and smiled at him.

' _Wow, impressive_...' Kakashi thinks, with a nod to himself. ' _Out of the three, she seems more self aware...and a good sense of character at that. Maybe I underestimated her after all. Sakura has the potential to outnumber them, if not in smarts in battle, too_.'

"I see. Well, thank you, Sakura." Kakashi wasn't use to talking with the cherry blossom. Sure, he usually saw Sasuke and Naruto as important assets to the team first before her. While she was smart, she definitely didn't have the balls to kick someone's ass unless necessary. In other words, she was weak. So were most of the girls who lusted after Sasuke. But, Sakura seemed to be out of that little fantasy now and instead facing the facts. Kakashi could at least say that much.

' _Still, I can't stop thinking about Obito...is that so wrong_?' Did he really do that, or was that just his wildest fantasies shining through?

Kakashi, clueless, tries not to think about it and instead at the situation at hand. Though it was a bit of a struggle when he saw his teammate's death twice in a row; as if it wasn't traumatizing enough.  _Christ, was this how the shinobi world worked?_  If so, he simply couldn't agree with it's philosophies. Clenching his fists, his whole body shook as he looked down at his lap.

"Seriously, sensei, are you alright?" Sakura ask worriedly, gripping onto his shoulder and looking into his eyes for any signs of distress. "I am," he assures, trying to seem in control, " _I am_." She smiled at him, and handed him a cold rag. "If you say so...You were sweating quite a lot to the point of worrisome. I hope that Sasuke and Naruto are OK, too..."

"About that." He smiled at the mother and father, before whispering to her ear, " _What about the entrance to that library? Were you able to enter through_?" She shook her head.

"You were out for a long time and it was almost morning, so I... I had to leave. I didn't want to get caught by Sasuke-kun, so I did what I had to do." She says, "And...I'm still trying to get over it. I mean..." she paused, fumbling with her fingers, "they mean a lot to me, you know? They're like brothers I never had and..." She looked up at her mother and father. "MOM! DAD! This is private!" She shouted angrily, pointing an accusing finger at them. They laughed nervously and left the two to their conversation. "Anyway, I'm happy for them now. I never knew they were gay for each other, but..." She looks up to the ceiling, lost in thought. "I guess it's OK."

 **Inner Sakura** :  _CHA! Now they'll really love me after this! For being such a good big sister! I'd better get some brownie points for this, shannaro!_

Kakashi closed his eyes "Let's hope so." He holds up his tea cup.

"Cheers, to another night of finding out about that moon mystery!"

* * *

Naruto yawned, feeling well-rested after his dream about Sasuke's brother and his parents. Actually, right now, he felt better than ever. Maybe it was because he was warm, and he had someone to snuggle with. And...  _Wait, what...?_

The blonde looks down at himself, and sees a very familiar head of black hair on his chest.

' _WHAT?! Why is Sasuke laying on top of me_!?' Naruto thinks to himself, his lower half excited beyond belief. He'd never thought in a million years that his rival of all people would be sleeping with him. Sure, sometimes he fantasized about having a hot wife with big boobs and a big butt with his own children beside his bedside, but...

_...NOT LIKE THIS!_

Without even thinking, he shoved the bastard off of him. In response, Sasuke hugged him closer to his chest. Which left Naruto a little humiliated. Try a LOT.

' _Man...what happened to our training today? HUH? And now we're_...' He gulped, "...' _hugging_.'' The word itself unsettled him. The blonde never once imagined falling for someone, much less a guy. The fact it was someone he hated made it a million times worse!

He tried squirming against the  _teme_ , anything at this point, but Sasuke only squeezed him. Which, if possible, embarrassed Naruto even more. "Shut up, I'm sleepy~." Sasuke replied, "'Sides, you're my pillow, now." Naruto didn't know what to think about THAT.

' _Aw, snap out of it, Naruto! This is just one of those dreams...no way is it real. Once this is all over I'll be inside the comfort of my home, buh-lieve it_!'

" **Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that**..." Kurama says from inside of him.

' _Neh, Kurama, what're ya doin' here_?'

" **None of your business, Kit! Anyway, this is very much real, I can assure you that. He took you in after you passed out outside in the cold. Now that the two of you are close like this...You just need a little push in the right direction** _..."_

Naruto brandished a pillow from beside them and slapped it on Sasuke. The boy grunted, but otherwise didn't move. " **That's not what I meant**." Kurama facepalmed internally, watching the two as they struggled against each other.

Carefully, he moves the arms holding him off of himself. Scooting away from the sleeping Sasuke, he stands up shakily in Sasuke's pajamas. There's even an Uchiha fan on the back. ' _W - what...the heck? I don't wear blue...I want my orange back_!' He thinks, looking around Sasuke's room. It's light out, and the room appears to be very...secluded. There's not much of anything and it looks extremely empty. Sure, there's a futon, books here and there, some knickknacks too, and there's a closet dedicated to the bastard. Aside from that, just... _nothing_. Stretching his body, he looks at the teme one last time. Something about that face...one that wasn't frowning all the time...caught the Uzumaki's attention. It seemed natural when it wasn't so serious.

Now that the blonde had thought about it, Sasuke did seem a bit stressed lately with missions, trying to catch up to him. Maybe that would explain why he had finally snapped.

He wondered what had changed to do that to someone, and it was all catching up with him? That's probably why he even dragged him with him here in the first place.  _Who knows_? Naruto still didn't understand what their wacky relationship was, but there was still a lot to Sasuke than he let on. Even if he was a bastard, and always acted like a perfectionist, he did also understand what it meant to be all alone. Something that the blonde could relate too, unlike the other villagers.

Naruto slides open the paper door, and looks around sleepily. The hallway seems...really thinned out and long. Shrugging to himself, he walks to the end of the hall and takes a turn. Eventually, he made it past the maze of a house and into a homey living room. At the center, there is a long makeshift table called a kotatsu, with two mats to sit on and a blanket as an undersheet. To the side of the wall is a shelf, one with a hanger for clothes and a pair of shinobi sandals are placed to the side. At the edge of the living room, is a small kitchen with a sink, a fridge, and a stovetop. There's also a rice cooker Sasuke uses to cook his onigiri for bento boxes; one of them handed over to Naruto when he was tied up for the bell test.

**XXX**

_Naruto remembered his stomach growling, as he hadn't had lunch and had put his all into trying to the get the bells. But, he had failed, and now ended up here as punishment. And then, the teme shoved his bento into his chest. He looked away, faintly blushing. "...Here."_

_"B - but, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura protested. "Remember what Kakashi-sensei said? No feeding him!"_

_Sasuke rolled his eyes, shoving his chopstick full of rice into the dobe's awaiting maw. "We're a team. We contribute together. Besides, it would only slow us down if he has no energy." He slowly turned to Naruto, with his black beady eyes. Naruto chewed through the onigiri and smiled. "You got sauce on your lips." Sasuke says in a voice no higher than a whisper, wiping it off his fingers smugly. He licked it, and blinked. 'Mm, I did cook it well.' He thinks to himself. 'If only he wasn't so dense…'_

_"H - here, Naruto." Sakura said, holding out her bento box, as well. "Sasuke-kun's right. You can't go on like this if you're starving." She shyly places curry chicken into his mouth. He blushed 'SUGEI! Sakura-chan's feeding me for real! HA! This is something out of my wildest dreams with my dream girl!'_

"Out of you guys…" he began, and both of them looked up expectantly.

"I liked this one." He looks at Sasuke's bento, but then at Sakura's. "But Sakura-chan did it better!"

Sasuke deadpanned.

**XXX**

Something comes up from behind him, and suddenly, Sasuke's arms are around him. Naruto grits his teeth; unsure of what to do.

"There you are, dobe. Don't leave me like that ever again.  _Or I'll kill you_." Somehow, the blonde knew he wasn't joking around. For anyone else, they would be scared $h!tless. But, Naruto and his naivety trusted his life on the brother he never had.

"Uh...you OK, Sasuke? I gotta get back to my house before we, you know, train an' all." Instead of replying, Sasuke remained silent. That is, until his teammate spoke up from his shoulder.

"No."

"Huh?" Asked Naruto, still half-asleep. Sasuke was acting really weird around him. Sometimes, antsy. Sometimes bein' a big ol' bastard. He's always been weird, but especially now.

"... _No_. Stay with me.  _Here_. In my house." He says stubbornly; dead serious.

Not used to Sasuke acting this way, Naruto decides to just go with it. Hey, a serious Sasuke wasn't one to mess with; he knew from personal experience. And if he didn't do what he said... _well_...maybe it was best left unsaid.

Out of the blue, Naruto's stomach growled.

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh, err, my bad. Kinda forgot to eat before we left...Hehe, guess I am kinda hungry! So, maybe it wouldn't hurt just a little while longer..."

"C'mon," Sasuke commands with a smirk, walking in front of him, "I'll even make us some breakfast, you moron. Oh," he looks Naruto up and down; beady black eyes softening, "and that shirt suits you. It shows that you're..."

' _Mine_ ,' he thinks internally, "...an usuratonkachi." Naruto sticks his tongue out at him, and crosses his arms. "You ALWAYS say that. Baka this, idiot that." The blonde complains bitterly. They turn a corner and walk down some stairs to a living room. As his teammate leads him to the kitchen, Naruto can't help but look around. Compared to his $h!tty apartment, this looked like...heaven tentimes fold. Seriously, why did Sasuke never mentioned his  _mansion of a house_?

Sure, it was a traditional Japanese wooden home handed down by the infamous Uchihas, but it was still so much more unlike his one room apartment. In fact, if Naruto could explain what it looked like now...

(1)

The doors were either/or  _fusuma_  and  _shoji_  (the difference being the types of paper, whether it's thick or not), sliding in and out at will. Underneath the creaky-old floorboards were  _shikii_ ,  _dodai_ , and  _neda_  which held the whole floor altogether. Though the flooring was wooden, and the walls were, too; there was a padding of paper on either types. The roofing was structured with  _nageshi_  and  _tenjo_ ; a traditional style used in lots of modern day Japan houses. And then add in mischallaneous things like displays of old things over the years, a picture of team seven, and one singular bed stashed away to the side. And there was Sasuke's house in a nutshell.

There was also an incense; which smelled smoky as Naruto sniffed the air. Overally, the atmosphere felt at home; if not a bit empty with only one owner in a big building. Anyway...

"...maybe you're just too  _chicken_  to man up to this." Sasuke smiles, as he fastens a frilly white apron around his waist.

" _Eh_?" It took the blonde a moment to process what his friend was talking about. After all, he was so sidetracked at the thought that someone was living in this! This heaven of a home,  _and_ -! Wait,  _what did that teme just SAY_?

"Oh, I'll show you,  _I'll_  -!" Naruto pumps out a fist to punch the damn bastard, but stops once he sees what his best friend is doing.

"Hey, what IS that?" The blonde asks, his big blue eyes full of curiousity as he points at...whatever that THING is. It looks WAY TOO girly, too feminine, even for Sasuke's standards (which is saying a lot).

"It's my mother's." Sasuke replies simply, as they walk over to the kitchen, where he pulls out a hot pot from a cupboard and a spatula. Once he sets this on the stove top at a high heat, he pulls out random ingredients to the counter and starts chopping off some vegetables and fruits. He adds in tomato broth as well, and stirs the contents. The The hot water inside boils, and Naruto watches this from the table close by to them, as if it's clockwork for the Uchiha. He starts thinking about Haku of all people, and how he sacrificed himself for Zabuza Momochi because of his undying love.

 _Is that what it's like to have a precious person? To die for them, to protect them with their life?_  And Sasuke has already done that for him. Two times.

Realizing it's a touchy subject, Naruto considers talking about something else.

"O - oh. I didn't know." He exhales shakily, his blue eyes looking down at his hands on his lap. ' _What the hell is wrong with me_ ,' Naruto reflecting on what he had just said, clenching his fists, ' _We're orphans...I can't talk about things I wouldn't want to talk about. I even shoved my picture of my parents away from him, because it was too personal to me. How is this any different for him, than how it is for me? I should apologize, not as a shinobi, but as a friend_.'

"I - I'm sorry, OK? Don't make me say it again to that stupid face of yours..."

"Hn." Sasuke replied as his usual response to everything. The blonde looked up in shock; expecting a far worse reaction. Instead, his rival was nonchalant. After a few seconds, the Uzumaki cleared his throat.

"Uh, well, anyway, I just wanna be smart, you know?" Naruto tries again, in deep thought, "I'm gonna lead the village someday. I gotta know enough to get me through to the end; for them to accept me for who I am! For them to acknowledge me as somebody! Somebody important!" He exclaimed heartily.

Sasuke considered his words for a second, scrutinizing Naruto as he cooked up a soup.

"Alright, I suppose I could teach you later about all the lessons Iruka taught you, dobe. If you weren't so dumb, you'd probably have actually sat and listened to them. ...Right now, eat." He shoved a plateful of Tomato-Miso Soup (丸ごとトマトの味噌汁) in front of Naruto, who eyes it with hearts in his eyes. Before he can blink, it's already slurped up into Naruto's mouth. " _SUGOI_ ~! Mmm, this is really good, Sas'ke!" Like a candy to a babe, Naruto moans into the mouthful of food. Bits of food are spat out, and Sasuke eyes it with distaste. ' _Disgusting_ ,' he thinks, ' _at least he likes tomatoes, too. And the miso ramen I made for him_.'

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Sasuke deadpans, "and...I'm sorry about the other day."

The blonde blinked, snapping to look at him as if he just declared .' _This is so humiliating_!" Inner Sasuke thinks, as he reaches over to grab a handful of tomato with his chopsticks and proceeds to feed the boy. ' _Damn it all_...'

"Look, I shouldn't have hurt you. I admit that it was wrong of me. There, I said it.  _Are you happy, now_?" He spat out bitterly, looking away.

"Well, I wasn't listenin', was I?" The blonde insisted angrily. "Listen, I was just bein' a big old dum-dum an' askin' about things I shouldn't. It's not your fault."

"You weren't." Sasuke snorted. "It's fine... I don't really care either way. They're dead now, so it doesn't matter."

"Good! For a second there, I thought I did bad or somethin'." Naruto laughed with a shit-eating grin.  _Damn him!_  Looking so

"Aren't you tired, yet?"

"Me?  _Never_! A ninja must be active at all times. Day, noon, night," He held up three fingers and chortled on and on about nonsensical things Sasuke couldn't care less about.

' _Where does all of that energy go_?' The Uchiha thought to himself. ' _Now that I think about it, he never seems to give up on trying to beat me. Not even when I'm one step close to defeating him. Why is that? How can he be so sure of himself, until the very end_?'

' _It's clear to me, now...he's just like Itachi. Stronger than me; always standing right in front of me. But...I can't just wait by silently as he earns the spotlight! I won't allow myself to become behind again_.'

"Hmph. Alright, I've made up my mind. I was going to kick you out after our simple meet and greet. But since you seem so eager to take me on, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to train you."

"You're so awesome, Sasuke! I was so so SO wrong about you, ya know!" Naruto exclaims as he chows down his grub like a wild animal. Personally, the Uchiha thought it was gross to look at, but that was beside the point.  _Seriously, where were his manners?_  Did the baka have any? Perhaps he'd teach the idiot a thing or two about proper etiquette. Not that he  _wanted_  to, or anything...

"You're the best! I mean it with all my heart!"

Brushing those silly words off his shoulders, he stands up and collects their plates to the sink. Stepping over to Naruto, he holds out a hand. The blonde takes it.

"Hmph, we'll see about that. C'mon already. I don't have all day, you know,  _scaredy cat_."

"Oi! I take that back! You know what, you're a bastard; a teme! You heard me! The. WORST! NINJA! EVEEEEER!" Chuckling to himself, Sasuke continued walking with a fiery dobe behind him. Things were suddenly looking up.

Heading out the door, they walk outside to the bright village of Konohagakure.

* * *

(1) Contains Japanese house structuring. Look it up sometime, it's something to look into.

(P.S. Sorry for all this shounen-ai drama! I had to let it out somehow (the relationship between these two is full of angst!))


	11. Melancholy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s just a note: I’m NOT going to add the Chunin Exams arc in this story, and Naruto and Sasuke will learn the rasengan and chidori differently from canon. All the other filler episodes won’t be added here as well. Same with Shippuuden.
> 
> Thanks for reading :D
> 
> WARNING: Contains lots and lots of gore! And violence! Especially in the dreamland.

**X.**

* * *

"C'mon, teme! I'm not getting any younger, ya know!" He pulled at his hand, making to the door before Sasuke could even properly take his apron off.

"You never stop, do you?" The black-haired boy questions with a side glance, casting the garment aside once given the chance.

"Nope!" Naruto replied with sincerity, sticking out his tongue with a malicious smirk. As they neared the welcome mat, Naruto suddenly stopped walking and pulled something out. When he saw him changing himself, however, he had ultimately decided against it. "H - hey! Not right in front of me, dobe!" He urged, looking away, as the blonde stripped himself naked in only his boxers.

"Nya ha haha! That's what you get for bein' a big ol' bastard!" He cackled with glee, pointing an accusing finger at the Uchiha. ' _Awwwww, nooooo_  !' Inner Sasuke cried, ' _Now you're just pulling at my heartstrings_!' His inner self sobbed. On the outside, he grunted. "What's so wrong with my clothing, anyway?" The boy grumbled, crossing his arms. "Orange is WAAAY better than blue!" The blonde says, as he threw on his fishnet shirt. "Buh-lieve it!"

The Uchiha didn't really care either way. Say his talk no jutsu all he wants, but Sasuke had his priorities. First, to beat Naruto as a testimony to his strength. And second, well...he still hadn't thought about that, yet. That's why he had no problems ignoring him right now, even when the blonde was trying to bond with him. Or, as friendly as you can be with an Uchiha, anyway.

When they closed the door behind them, Naruto took in his surroundings.

The grass looked gray and downcast near the front, even more so than the back. It looked like it hadn't seen a speck of sunlight in years, again reflecting on how dark and abandoned his place really was. All of the other houses surrounding the compound were decayed ruins of their former selves. A wonder why no one else touched foot in this part of the village, the only exception being a boy bearing the weight of his dead family and working hard all of his life to become stronger so that one day he'd see the man who killed them dead.

"Man, this looks really...erm...barren in the daytime. Is it always like that?" Naruto asks shrewdly, eye scanning the area.

"My old housekeeper quit taking care of it years ago. He cleaned the shed, but...then he died shortly soon after of old age."

' _And also the dead bodies of my late parents...but you don't need to know that_.' He added in internally.

"Man, I'm sorry. I dunno what ta say to that." Sasuke made an 'nn' sound, but then shoved his hands in his pockets and averted his eyes. "Don't be. It's not like you should care...it was all in the past. His life didn't mean anything to me."

"I - I guess," the blonde says sheepishly, sort of confused by his choice of words. Uzumaki shrugged, in the end it didn't really matter. It was just a reminder of the Uchiha Massacre, something he knew he would have to ask about later. But, now they had training to do to makeup for lost time. The Chunin Exams were coming up, after all.

As they crossed over the police tape blocking his entrance, they entered through the gate and outside to happy and lively Konoha village, where people greeted them with a wave. As they passed by the streets, Naruto hummed to himself a song with his hands behind his neck and a big goofy grin plastered on his face. Sasuke could only imagine what he could possibly be up to next.

Many of the females giggled to themselves once they saw Sasuke walk alongside Naruto. "Oh, they look so cute together!" One of the three fangirls. "Just kiss each other already!"

"Nah, they're just rivals," the second one says. "Besides, how could two people that hate each other ever fall in love. That's just unheard of!"

"Uh, guys? Ever heard of friends? They're just really good bros, that's all." The third one scoffs. Their eyes stared as they saw them stroll hand in hand. "Ahhhhhh~!" They cooed all together, swooning their hips as they watched them with hearts in their eyes.

* * *

"Hey, Boss!" Someone skidded over to him with a gang of other children behind him. "Whoa, who's this guy?" The brown haired brat asked snobbishly, sliding to a stop, and jabbing a finger at the Uchiha. "Oh, this? Sasuke, this is Konohamaru. Konohamaru, this is Sasuke." Naruto introduced them with a toothy grin.

"I know." His best friend mumbles, already not wanting to be part of the conversation. The newcomer held out a hand to shake, to which the teen did so hesitantly.

"Nice to meet ya! Though you don't seem too happy to see me."

"The feeling is mutual." Sasuke answers back bitterly, pulling his hand away with narrowed eyes.

"Guys! Cut it out!" Naruto waves his hands wildly. "We're friends, remember! So keep the fighting to a minimum, 'kay?"

"Hn. Whatever."

"Aye aye, cap'n!"

"Ooo, ooo, Boss. Can ya teach me a new technique? Pretty please?" Konohamaru begs with babydoll eyes. Naruto claps him on the back good naturedly. "Sorry, bud. Sasuke here and I have got stuff to do. Y'know, kicking bad guy butt kinda thing!" A big, wide smile stretched across the boy's face. "Ooooo! Good luck, Boss! You're gonna need it!"

As they watched him go, the Uchiha sighed to himself.

"Hmph, he's such a child."

The blonde wanted to smack him across the face because, yes, he IS a child. It's not like he was an adult, much less a shinobi! He was just an innocent little kid who didn't know any better.

Instead, he remembered back to when Konohamaru had admitted that people never cared about him, only about him being the hokage's son. The blonde could honestly relate to that feeling, trying to earn attention by pulling pranks and being the class clown. But, in the end, no one spared him a look his way. It was because of this that he could see himself in the child, who had yearned for a life to become a hokage himself.

"He's kinda a lot like me, actually," He says sympathetically, "He just wanted to be acknowledged by somebody. No matter how hard he tried, no one accepted him for who he is. He was just an outsider, for all they cared."

Sasuke openly stared at him for awhile, not even paying attention as to when they had walked right over their spot they were supposed to train at. ' _Does he really mean that? ... Or did the idiot just make that up on the fly? Now he's just messing with me_.'

"Yoohoo! We made it!" A smile broke off on his face as soon as he dashed towards their destination. Standing on a small red wooden bridge over a pathway of water, the older of the two decided this was the best place for training. Sasuke looked at it with a nod of approval. "Hnn, I bet even a clumsy ninja like you can't master the art of chakra control. Let's see if you can stand on the water without splashing." With a sardonic smirk, he glanced at Naruto as if begging him to do so otherwise.

"Maa maa. Just you wait, Sasuke! They don't call me the best for nothin'!" He says, a sparkle emitting in his eyes. There was something about seeing the excitement that reminded him when he was a child himself. When he had hopes, and dreams, and a future to believe in. Hell, maybe even the desire to become a hokage someday and have the whole village under his fingertips. But his destiny had other plans for him instead; to fulfill his life he would have to one day avenge his family.

Leaving the village now would be as easy as it comes.

But then...he'd never ever have someone like Naruto ever again. And, honestly, he was all he had left to look forward to in life. Losing him now would be like losing a part of himself. That was the last thing he wanted.

Once he looked up again, he was mortified to see the exact opposite effect of what he had expected.

Naruto was standing on the water with such ease it put even Sasuke to shame. He stared, dumbfounded, as he moved with swift grace across the surface.

' _W - what? But that's...a chuunin technique! And yet, he does it so flawlessly...but how_?'

"Ha haha ha! I did it!" The blonde cheered, a big smile plastered upon his face, as if he had just won the lottery or something.

"Hn, I suppose I underestimated you, dumbass." The two fist bumped each other and Sasuke helped him up onto the bridge."Told ya I could do it!" Sasuke didn't want to admit it, so he turned away ashamedly. Even though he inwardly marvelled at how he beat even himself at something so special, he couldn't just flat out acknowledge it. It would only wound what little left of his pride and humiliate him to no end. So he ignored that praising feeling for the time being.

"Humph. I guess that concludes it for the day. Unless, there's something else you want to do?" The Uchiha cocked a raised eyebrow at the other boy, who looked sheepish all of a sudden.

"A - actually, I gotta go somewhere. See ya later!"

"Alright. Just don't take too long." Sasuke waved off after him, wondering what he was up to now.

* * *

As Naruto was racing past the sidewalks, one restaurant in particular caught his eye.

" **Akimichi's All You Can Eat Buffet**."

' _Sweet_!' He thinks, licking his lips, and making a mad dash to the entrance where he was greeted by a pretty face. "N - Naruto-kun?"

"Huh? Oh, hey, Hinata!" He smiles at her with a bright grin. She stares with loving eyes, before she remembered what she was doing. "Oh! Um, hi. Come on in inside. Chouji-kun is hosting a party for all of us. Isn't that nice of him?"

"Y - yeah." He still felt awkward around her. From hardly knowing her from the academy to becoming a fellow friend of two enter inside and are greeted by a myriad of smells wafting from the kitchen. His friends had already sat at a table with a bowl full of BBQ. Over them, colorful lights were flickering on and off, as music played in the background. Naruto wa shaving a lot of cool vibes just walking in on this place.

"Whoa! Hey there, bud!" Kiba greets him with a wave, and Akimaru woofs in agreement. "How the hell you doin', man?"

"Doin' great, actually." He says, sitting down after the Hyuga and resting his head on his hand. "You?" Kiba leaned against their table and states,"Turns out Team Guy is already on a mission as we speak. So we figured we could take a break from fightin' and just chill out."

"Chouji's dad said we could have some fun tonight. Everyone's so uptight lately 'cuz we all know the Chunin Exams are comin' up, we just don't know when. So we're just lettin' loose of all that and doin' ourselves a favor. Ain't that right, Akimaru?"

The dog barks and shakes his tail on his lap.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru sighs, looking down at the menu thoughtfully. "there's so much to choose from, and yet, so little time."

"Order's on me," Chouji, the new waiter, says with a handful of covered dishes. "Take your time, no need to rush!"

As he left, he felt someone tug on his sleeve. Turning around, he saw Hinata's blank eyes stare into him. "Um, Naruto-kun," her forefingers touch each other nervously, "I - no. We were worried. Where were you?"

"Oh, I was at Sasuke's, that's all," he says casually. All of them openly gaped at Naruto. "W - what's the big idea?" He asks nervously, not used to them looking at him like that.  _All this attention_   _was sorta weirdin' him out!_ "Oh. My. Bugs." Shino says, spitting out cockroaches. "...What a drag."

"Dude, what were you doin' at his house?" Kiba snaps increduosly. "Don't you know that no one -  _and I mean no one_  - in their right mind would sleepover with that prick. What were you doing?  _Enjoying some tea party to sit down and chat_?"

He howled at his own joke, and the blonde sends him a glare. "I - I agree. He hates you, doesn't he, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asks quietly. "It was nothing, honest!" Naruto says wringing his hands around wildly. "This is all just a big misunderstanding! We were hangin' out at his house and I slept over just this once, that's all!"

It was then that the door opened with a ring of a bell, and all of their heads turned to look at a familiar blonde. "Sorry, boys, to drop in on such short notice," Ino flips her hair and looks around at all of them. "What the heck is goin' on? Did I miss out on something or what?"

"Nope. Nothing at all." Kiba answers, lying between his doglike teeth. "You must be imagining things, however troublesome they may be," Shikamaru faked a yawn, trying to act like nothing ever happened.

"Are you sure? I was hearing some pretty heavy conversation, let me tell you. Too bad I wasn't here to hear all of it."

Naruto sunk lower and lower against the chair, trying to make himself as small as possible. Which was hard, considering he stuck out like a sore thumb, what with his blonde hair and orange clothes. "It's OK, Naruto-kun. I'm here for you." The Hyuga whispers from beside him, folding her fingers into his and stared bashfully at him. He gulped, gazing into her eyes nervously.

Shikamaru's head seemed to be in the clouds, and Kiba was busying himself and stalling for time by playing fetch for Akimaru with a dog bone. And Shino was... _well_. Shino was just being Shino.

The blonde kunoichi sighed to herself,' _These four are so helpless, I swear. What would they even do without me? If it weren't for me, they wouldn't have come this far, honestly_.' Ino thinks egotistically, with a hum to herself.

"Uh, hello, people?" Ino snapped her fingers in front of their faces, looking at them angrily. "I asked you a question." Hinata spoke up, her voice very small amongst the crowd. "W - Well, Naruto-kun slept over at Sasuke-kun's house. A - and then they spent time. T - together."

The blonde gaped like a fish and then laughed her ass off.

" _Are you serious right now?_  Geez. Why didn't you just tell me in the first place?. Oh, Sakura's totally gonna get a scoop out of this, just you wait! Ino out~!" In just a few speedlines, she had already left the restaurant in a nick of time. Naruto instantly sat his head on the table, pouting cutely. ' _Aww, man. Now the whole village is gonna know what we did! I'm doomed_!' The blonde wrung his hands in his hair, his patience wearing thin. If Sakura was the most popular girl in Konoha, it was only a matter of time before word got out. He was so screwed. "I - I'm so sorry," Hinata squeaked, "I shouldn't have done that...that was so mean of me. Please, forgive me, Naruto-kun!" Her eyes were teary as she watched him sadly.

"Nah, it's fine. Really." He waved it aside, but it had still hurt. Naruto checked the time on his half broken watch and instantly cringed. ' _Holy balls_!'

"Guys, I gotta go. Catch ya later!" Before he could even get some of that sweet, saucy, BBQ, he was already out the door.

* * *

On top of the building, the Uchiha sat and stared out at the sun. The sky by now was a gradient shade of red, pink, yellow and orange.

"Sasuke." Was what brought him out of the scenery.

"You sure took your sweet time without me, didn't you?" The boy spat out bitterly, without even looking at him. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I was -"

Sasuke stood up and turned to face him with an aggravating glare. Naruto almost took a step back, caught up by how angry his teammate appeared to be. "Let's just go home." He says, brushing past his shoulder.

* * *

It was now sunset as they were walking to the compound. Sasuke still hadn't said a word to him, and Naruto had a funny feeling that it was going to last all day if he didn't say sorry or anything .

Even as they shut the door behind him, he still received the cold shoulder.

Heck, he didn't even look at him once. It was like he wasn't even there. That made Naruto feel a little angry

As soon as he sat at the table, he was drumming his fingers on the table, in anticipation. If Sasuke wasn't going to say it, then he would. From the kitchen, Sasuke had come out with a steaming hot platter with oven mitts on. Walking over to Naruto, without any eye contact, he had plated a sizeable  _donburi_  onto his plate and then sat at the opposite end of the table, hands clasped and fingers crossed. His eyes were livid.

The atmosphere grew serious all over again.

"Ne ne. That sure was fun, wasn't it?" He asked with full cheeks, trying to break the awkward silence between them.

"Hnn," Sasuke cleared his throat and stood up."Listen...I wanted to talk about what happened last night." The blonde's face falls. Sasuke rolls his eyes.

"I... _oh_." Naruto says sullenly; his blonde bangs shadowing his eyes. Sasuke feels like supporting him somehow, but he had something to say. "I heard you talking in your sleep, about stupid things." Sasuke states matter-of-factly, blunt and to the point, "I couldn't sleep at all. And you were annoying as always. Even when you were asleep." Sighing to himself, he started again.

"You were talking about your mom and dad. I told you to shut up. And even then, you were crying. Why is that?  _What happened to them_?" Naruto gulped, torn between telling the truth or laughing it off. He chose the latter. "Hehe! It was nothin', really. Just me and my funny imagination!" He says sheepishly, and laughs for the whole effect. The Uchiha frowns at his "fakeness".

In a spur of speed, Sasuke grabbed him by the arm forcibly, and snarled with teeth bare. "NO! You're lying to me again. Acting like an idiot doesn't work on me,  _Naruto_! Play a fool all you want, but I sure as hell am NOT buying it!" Naruto looks down at the table, away from Sasuke.

"Look at  _ME_!" Sasuke shouts, at full speed pins him against the wall. The Uzumaki shivers under his iron-like grip and at their close proximity. Sasuke stops once the blonde clears his throat. He lets him go with a heated glare."Listen,  _I_  -!" he was about to say something, but then the front door burst open. Sakura was at the door, waving to them.

"There you two are! Kakashi-sensei and I were wondering where you were. Anyway, no missions today! There's a new ninja in our village, and we're going to introduce her to everyone." She says cheerily. "Look, Karin, say hi -!" She's stopped mid-sentence by Naruto, who flings across from Sasuke and to outside like a spring."Hey, Naruto!" Sakura shouts after him, with the redhead kunoichi by her side. Karin steps aside in favor of the other Uzumaki; who breaks down because of everything all at once. The dream, his mom and dad, Sasuke, and even his dream in life to become someone acknowledged.  _How could he do that, when everyone around him still treated like trash all the time?_  They still hated him just the same. That's the thing, nothing changed. They were still as corrupt as they were now.

It seemed so far, even now, to earn their attention. Trying to smile for the sake of others; just so he could cry when they weren't there. But, no. His happiness was never enough!

With tears in his eyes, Naruto's already out the door. And like a flicker of the wind, he's gone.


	12. The Villager's Hate

**X|.**

* * *

' _Damn, I screwed up big time_ ,' Sasuke thinks, bolting out the door after Naruto. "NARUTO, COME BACK HERE, YOU LOSER!" He shouted in pursuit. At this point he didn't care if the whole village heard him at this point. He just wanted his dobe back. Itachi didn't matter now. What mattered was his best friend.

"Sorry about that!" Sakura laughed nervously, turning to the redhead. "they're like that sometimes!"

"It's alright," for someone who just witnessed a chase scene between two boys, she seemed really chill. "So, Karin, where did you live before here?" Sakura asked, as they closed the door behind them and opted for a tour around Konoha instead. "Well, I was originally living in Sound," Karin recalled, adjusting her glasses. "With Orochimaru, as an assistant for his long list of experiments. He's one of the three legendary sannins. Didn't you know?" She raises an eyebrow and frowns.

"Wow," Sakura exclaimed, shaking her head, "I never knew. The other two are still alive, aren't they?" Tsunade-san and Jiraiya-san...the three legendary heroes. She wondered time to time what happened to them, when she wasn't thinking of Sasuke-kun, of course.

"That's what I'm thinking," Karin says, as they walk together, "If Orochimaru can cheat death by switching bodies every few years or so, then maybe...oh, I don't know. I think one of them retired for a reason. They're not exactly youngsters anymore, you know?" Sakura nodded. This girl was smart. It was nice to know she could finally relate to someone a lot like herself.

"What's your clan? I'm a Haruno, by the way." Sakura brushed a strand pink hair back behind her ear nervously. "Not exactly special or anything-" ' _like Naruto and Sasuke_ ,' she thinks "-but I manage!" Sakura Haruno rambles on and on, hoping to dear God she doesn't sound as frantic as she does right now. "I see. And as for me? I'm from the Uzumaki clan. No one really knows about us, but we're a clan full of red-haired women. Sometimes, bloodline limits are passed down to the heirs, but that's just a legend. And one of them left our clan forever... Supposedly the first of the first married to the infamous Senju Hashirama. Whether that's factual or not, I have yet to understand." Karin elaborated, and waved to passerby civilians. Sakura's heart stopped for just a minute.

' _Red-haired women_?' Sakura thinks, the gears in her brain turning, ' _but Naruto, he's...a boy and he has blonde hair! Unless he was_...'

She stopped walking entirely, eyes wide with realization. Karin stopped, too, and blinked at her peculiar behavior.

"Sakura...?" she asked slowly. "N - no! It's nothing." Sakura waves a hand dismissively.

"If you say so...anyway." Karin sighs, as they sit down on a bench for a breather. "I'm beat. I've been walking all day just to get here. And I even met your hokage. He looks like my grandfather!" She cracked up, doubling over. One hand rested on Sakura's for support, and Sakura couldn't help but laugh, too.

"He is an Old Man, isn't he? He used to play with me and my friend by the flower field," she reminisces about the old simpleton days with Ino. Sighing to herself, her green eyes look up at the blue sky; reminding her of Naruto's big blue eyes. She really DID hope he was alright...after running off from whatever that was earlier.

' _Naruto, you liar_...' she thinks, frowning, ' _you're not really an Uzumaki, are you_?'

* * *

Speaking of the blonde, he was currently dealing with masses and masses amounts of people surrounding the exterior of his apartment. There were all sorts of weapons they scrounged up ;  _gunbai_ ,  _tessen/gunsen_ ,  _kama_ , and  _katanas_. Their ages ranged from older men and women, along with children who copied their parents, as well as firing jutsus on his apartment. Some hooded men were performing rituals around the exterior, chanting "Lucifer" as an energy forcefield formed. A hexagram was set stock still in the middle. Seals were cast on the house by the other sinners. They saw this as a way of punishing the "monster of the village".

' _What the hell? Why are they crowding my house_?' Naruto thinks, trying to push past the people to see what was going on. "Stay away from my home, you hear me?" the blonde growled; a red aura surrounding him completely. He could feel Kurama pumping chakra into his system, and his chakra giving way to the Kyuubi. He couldn't do it now. Not with the villagers around like this.

"Oh, lookie here. The  _Nine-Tailed Fox_  himself. What do ya think, boys? Kill him now, or destroy that dump of a home he's got?" The leader and his gang set on the latter; tearing what was left of his house into pieces.

"STOP IT!" Naruto cried helplessly. He felt like just what it was like to be eight years old all over again. When the villagers beat him, and bullied him to the point where he wanted to leave; he wanted to destroy the village. The prejustice was killing him inside; enough to drive him to insanity. He was sure this was how Sasuke felt when his whole clan died, and everyone else still hated him for it. Those dark days were over. Or so the blonde thought.

He had tried his damned hardest to become strong, to become a hero worthy of his village.  _Why couldn't they just accept him? Just...why?_

The leader of the gang sharpened his blade, grinning wickedly underneath that moustache of his.

There were two sides of these types of people; one group trying to burn down his apartment and rioting through his things, tarnishing them into nothing. And the second one was the ANBU; trying to prevent them from (in their eyes) destroying an innocent civilian's property for the sake of maintaining peace for the village. All of these morals were clashing together, and all for the same cause: the Nine Tails. The elderly was well aware that the brat possessed the monster, so this was, in other words, "justice" and it was secret for their youngsters. While the other was trying to protect the "monster",

This was a war of who was at fault; and pointing fingers at all the wrong people. It became a full out brawl, and some people were stabbed in the chest with kunais; landing on the ground, dead. One couldn't say one was "good" and the other was "bad". They had their own beliefs on what was right for the sake of the village. Naruto clenched his fist, as he watched his apartment alight into flames. The windows were shattered. Graffiti littered the walls, spelling the words "DEMON". It was a mess of it's former self.

"H - hey!" He screamed, as the older men trapped him against the wall. There was nothing he could do; the only option left was to go Kyuubi.

Just then, a sword swept through the pursuers.

A tall man wearing a cat mask nodded at the blonde, and all the men retreated to the alleyways as if it never happened.

The Konoha Leaf symbol was on his arm, and he was wearing grey armor. "Naruto Uzumaki! Follow me." The ANBU guard shouted, suddenly lifting him up onto his shoulders and running off toward the village before Naruto could get a word in edgewise.

"H - hey! Let me go!" Naruto demanded, his cheeks flaring up in red as he was carried away.

"Shut up, brat!" The man behind the mask hissed, "you're going to the hokage. There's nothing we can do right now, except wait for the other guards to stop their attack. Though, there's not much hope..." He added - more to himself - and Naruto bit his lower lip. The blonde tried struggling, but stopped and perked up at the mention of the hokage.

"..." Naruto, with no other option, clutched tightly onto him, and watched the smoke rise over his apartment. For the first time, in a long time, he let the tears fall along with the bloodshed. Sad for for the loss of lives over his being, angry at the fact that they attacked his home, and anxious about what would happen next for him.

"O - Old Man?" Naruto breathed. The guard carrying him nodded.

The ANBU promptly dropped him off on the welcome mat; leaving him at the front of the hokage's office. The door is opened by Konohamaru, who invites him inside excitedly.

"Naruto Uzumaki." Hiruzen Sarutobi smoked his pipe, turning around ever so slowly.

* * *

As they passed an apartment, the cherry blossom spotted the Uchiha at the door. She walked over to him with the Uzumaki in toe.

"There you are, YOU BAKA!" Sakura whacked Sasuke on the head. "SHANNARO! I can't believe you fought with him like that, you IDIOT!" Steam erupted out her ears like a volcano.  _Who knew that Sasuke-kun was such an idiot!_  "Sa...kura..." Sasuke wheezed, and stared death at her. The redhead from behind her shyly walked forward.

"W - wait, is that..." Karin blushed, "you're the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, right?"

"How the hell do you know about me?" Sasuke snapped, eyes twitching in anger as he turned to the newcomer. He'd never seen her before, but he could easily tell she was another fangirl of his. And, frankly, he had had enough of those. The only thing they'd be useful for would be when he had to repopulate his clan. But, that could wait until after his revolution. "Oh, you bad boy~! Hey, listen," Karin fidgeted with her fingers. "All the other girls love to talk about you. They told me once I arrived at the Leaf. And I was thinking."

"That maybe we could go on a date?" She asked in a hopeful voice. He looked around for any signs of Naruto, hoping to the kami above he would save him from his current predicament. Even if the boy was obnoxious, at least he had the decency to save a teammate when he was in eminent danger.  _Oh, he'd be so helpful right about now_. But, apparently, the gods weren't listening to him today.

' _Not another fangirl_...' Sasuke deadpans. "Look, unless this is important, I have something to do. So, scram! Beat it!" She tried holding onto his arm, and he tried shoving her off. But, she just wouldn't let go. So, his eyes narrowed, if possible, even more.

"But, Sasuke-kun~! I may have done something to you yesterday," she admits, her face still red, "I might've...used an aphrodisiac on you in your sleep!" She blurted out, and then covered it with her hands. His eyes twitched again. ' _Wait, what the hell? I knew someone was spying on me the other night, but... I didn't think much of it. No wonder why I felt so off...and it's all because of her_!' His killing intent sky rocketed to OVER 9,000 and even further beyond!

"I'm sorry, I wanted you to fall in love with me!" She mumbled in embarrassment from behind her hands. Sakura facepalmed. ' _I guess this is how Naruto feels...when I acted like he wasn't there. I can't believe I was so selfish, all because I wanted Sasuke's attention_.'

The redhead kunoichi, Karin Uzumaki, took a step forward, her eyes staring directly into his.

'... _Thank goodness. For a second, I was worried he might not buy it. Orochimaru left me a second batch for another night if need be_ ,' Karin thinks internally, a shadow overlooming her face. ' _Once he's drugged enough, tying him up will be a piece of cake! All I have to is to take him with the Sound Four and then to Orochimaru's Hideout. Everything is all according to keikaku_.' But, Sasuke had other plans. He was thinking more along the lines of a certain blonde ninja. ' _That would explain why the deadlast left me. I wasn't acting like myself...damnit! Would the loser even believe me_?'

"Why the hell isn't he answering?" He curses to himself, banging on the door again, but answering to nothing yet again. ' _That's it; I'm breaking down the damn door. He doesn't need it anyway_.' The door's hinges crashed to the floor, and someone else aside from Naruto stood there. The Uchiha stopped himself once he realized that this was NOT Naruto's apartment, even if it may look it. He tensed considerably.

Instead, he was face to face with an old lady. With a cat.

"Where's Naruto? Have you seen a blonde with an orange jumpsuit, about five feet high; really short?" He interrogated, pressing for answers.

(1) "Youngsters these days!" She sighed, looking down at her door. "Oh, haven't you heard? He's at the hokage's. Something about a fight or somethin'. And as for his house, well..." she paused, ominously. "...you should see for yourself."

That caught the Uchiha's attention immediately. Without even thinking, he rushed off the streets of Konoha.

"HEY! YOU STILL OWE ME FOR THE DOOR, BRAT!"

He could honestly care less.

* * *

(1) Yeah, about the old lady. She's a plot device for now. But only in this chapter! She's not part of the story after this.


	13. Hedgehog's Dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i.e. The idea that if people get too close, they'll only hurt one another.

**X||.**

* * *

"O - Old Man? What's going on?" Naruto Uzumaki questioned, sitting on the chair opposite the hokage. Hiruzen sighed, smoking his pipe and exhaling. And his grandson was watching with wide eyes at what they were doing.

"Yeah? What the heck happened?" Konohamaru asked, looking back and forth between Naruto and his grandfather.

" _Ahem_." Sarutobi cleared his throat, and looked up at the brat; bored. "This is about the  _villagers_ , Naruto. And your house. Not to mention that landlady of yours." He shuffles through his pile of paperwork and finds a file; showing it to the blonde. "You forgot to pay your rent last month, and now she's mad at the fact that all the money she saved up for that apartment is burned down to the ground."

"I didn't have enough, then! That's why I've been tryin' to do my missions overtime. But...!" He says; shaking his head."I didn't even earn my fair share, Old Man! Sakura-chan and the teme got it all instead. None for me." He says, looking down at his lap. "D-rank missions get me jack squat, can't you see? And B-rank missions almost never happen, either. I WANT to be a ninja. How can I do that if I'm doin' boring stuff like paintin' fences and catching cats, HUH?" His chest is constricting, but he can't stop now. He has to show the leader of the village what it's like from his point of view. Dealing with the villagers, forcing a smile day in day out...all of that for them to destroy his place he used to call "home". And now it was nothing... _just like him_.

"I'm sorry, boy, but rules are rules," Sarutobi says gravely, "The village won't want to fund for someone they hate. I do not have the time or money myself to simply buy you a new house and, unless you know someone who can take you in, then there's nothing we can do for you. And my grandson alone can't even make a ryo or two for your sake! Since you are still a minor, I'm afraid I have no choice but to send you to the village orphanage."

_Not the orphanage!_  The last time he'd been there had been horrible. He had vaguely remembered as a child what it had been like and the experience wasn't "pleasant", to say the least. It was dark and secluding, not an ounce of a welcoming atmosphere about it. The administers from the Sound there sent creepy vibes and it was only a moment too late when he realized that they had abused the children there and would sometimes beat them until they were emotionally or physically broken like mindslaves. It was at that point that he had had enough.

He hated it there and always had been. If he had stayed any longer, he probably would've had let Kurama loose and destroy the village once again, so thank goodness he was free from all of that. The day he had left the place was heaven.

That's why he kept to the streets. If not that, then staying with the hokage's until the Old Man had supplied him an apartment. But,  _this_.

This was utterly hopeless.

"But,  _gramps_!" Konohamaru whined. "What's boss got to do with it? It's not his fault he lives like this!" He counters, trying to back up the one who was a lot like him. Aspiring to be at the tip of the top; even at rock bottom. If it weren't for him...Konohamaru honestly wouldn't know what to do with himself. "He's never had parents. He said so himself. And wherever I go, they always hate on him! How has he lived like that for so long; it's so unfair!" He choked out, gritting his teeth.

"I thought I had it bad, when they only saw me as a Sarutobi. They always saw right through me; as if my last name was all that I was worth. ' _The hokage's grandson this_ ,' ' _the hokage's grandson that_ '! Why can't they just see ME? Why can't they acknowledge me and Boss for who we are? Why can't we just be accepted for once? But... _but_!" His head is bowed low, and he's clenching his fists. Tears trickle down his face, and he looks away from his grandfather; ashamed.

The door opens, and the landlady herself walks in without so much a "hello" and slams Naruto against the wall from his chair. It falls; unnoticed. And so she grabs him by the collar.

"Do you know how much damn  _ryo_  that cost me, you brat!" The old lady shrieked, shaking him back and forth. "Enough to buy me the whole lot of Konoha, I reckon. And all of that gone! Because of you, you  _demon_!" Naruto winced at the nickname and really wished that at that moment he wasn't born as an Uzumaki; as a jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi.

"I'm sorry!" He plead, eyes shining with tears. " I swear, I'll do anything for you! I'll pay you back, build you a new one, ANYTHING! I just..." his eyes softened, "...need a home."

"I'm done with you." She promptly drops him down and slams the door behind her; leaving the three in total silence. Naruto sobs to himself; his whole body shaking. His once bright, blue eyes dulled into a gray color. There was just no hope in them anymore.

"I...see." He says, faking a smile. "Ha aha aha." He laughs, weakly. His throat was dry and rough; cutting the the quiet of the room. It suited how he felt right now; a real mess of who he used to be; of who he aspired to become someday.

' _This is all just a bad dream...isn't it? It's almost unbearable...When I wake up, I'll just see myself alone in my apartment_...' He thinks to himself, feeling numb to the dull pain. And slouches down against the wall limply.

Konohamaru looked at him sadly, and Hiruzen was still serious; sitting on his chair.

"I'm leaving, then. If I can't even live in the village," he sniffles, "then, how can I become hokage?" He stands up from his fallen position with a look of defeat. It's enough to break Konohamaru's heart in two; seeing someone so strong become a broken shell of who he once was.

"B - boss!" He sputtered; before he could stop himself. The door was already shut behind him.

* * *

Living on his own with nothing, but himself.  _Was this was what it was like to be homeless?_  Naruto didn't like this feeling of being all alone, of being in this dark and lonely place. He remembered those days when he swung on the swings all by himself, when no one else played with him. It was just like those days. Expect that was then and this was now.

It's midday. There's just a slight bit of sun left; and a slight breeze in the air. Red, orange, and yellow leaves float all around him and he imagines himself on what it would be like to have his head on the hokage mountain.  _Is that so far-fetched, now? Or is that dream just now impossible in his eyes?_

Naruto sleeps on the trees, snoring his insecure thoughts away. And as he sleeps, he sees a bubbling of red from the sewers and the Nine-Tails takes full form. " **Oi, Kit**." Kurama says through his mindscape. " **Release the seal; let me free. And I will kill all of those that have done this to you. You do not deserve them, Hero**.  **This is why I wanted to kill them all to begin with. But then your mother and father stopped me from my spell and sealed me away inside of you**."

' _No can do, Kurama_.' Naruto thinks internally. ' _You can't go Kyuubi, remember? I hate them so much, but killing them isn't the right thing to do. Honestly? I don't know what I should do. I'm still part of the village, but just barely. And I'm broke right now, my froggy wallet burned off along with my house_.'

" **You're running out of energy. If I were you, I'd buy myself a ramen. Or meat! Of all the people I slaughtered."** The fox licked it's lips, " **I wonder what the Uchiha's blood tastes like**."

' _That's the thing...I can't buy anything. See, and this is why I contain you. So that no one innocent can die_.' He flinched at the mention of the teme. ' _He has nothing to do with this, Kurama_!' He shouted internally, stomping his foot with a feral growl.

" **Someone's getting defensive**." The fox smirked,"  **You're in lo**  -!"

' _S - shut up! Goodbye, Kurama_.' Naruto wakes up back to the real world, brushing off his wacky conversation with the fox and hops down from his branch. Time for some Ichiraku's!

Using a henge (transformation jutsu), he walked around the streets of Konoha, making sure not to stand out as much as possible. He sticks to the sidelines and walked over to the ramen stand and sat at a stool. He hoped he had enough somewhere...

"I know that's you, Naruto, you can't fool me." Ayame, Teuchi's daughter, says with a knowing smile. "Aww, dang it!" Naruto pouted, POOF!ing back into his normal self. "I tried so hard to mask myself, too. Guess I was pretty obvious, huh?" The brunette hummed in response, slipping a bowl of miso ramen right in front of him.

"None of our customers are like you, you know." She admits, "They never last this long. And they aren't daily customers, either. This is a token of our thanks to you."

"W -  _Wha_? I...this is free? 'Cuz, I'm kinda broke right now." He scratches the back of his head sheepishly. She giggles into her hand, blushing at how cute he was right now. "Yup! Free of charge, just for you." She winked at him, walking behind the counter. "Consider it as my treat for you being a special guest of ours."

"Thanks," He says, with red on his cheeks. If he's learned anything at a young age, it was always to be thankful for what he had. In this case, he couldn't be more the merrier. "That's really, erm, considerate of you."

"You're welcome, sweet heart." she exclaims with a bashful smile."And don't worry about your apartment. I'm sure the hokage will think of something."

"Hehe." He snickers. Someone from behind the front door walks in and takes a seat from beside Naruto. "Ah, nice to see you again."

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto cheered, waving at him excitedly. "Good to see ya! I missed you, ya know."

"Did you, really?" His former teacher chuckled into his hand. "I'm flattered. Your sensei has told me a lot of things. You sure are growing up, aren't you?" Seeing the blonde's head tilt, he added, "You used to make fun out of everything on the off chance you would get noticed by somebody. Now, you are becoming quite the shinobi. I'm real proud of you, Naruto." Iruka placed a hand on his shoulder and beamed at the younger male.

' _He's maturing so fast...I still remember the times when he was just a child. Now he's right aging before my eyes! I feel so old already~_.' The Uzumaki was taken aback for a second, but then beamed back just as brightly. "He he. Guess I have, haven't I?"

"Take this." His sensei offered his bowl to him in his awaiting hands. "F - for me?" It was as if someone was giving him the whole world! Naturally, he had to take it. After all, why wouldn't he? "Consider it my treat." The blonde chowed it up into his maw and lays back on his stool with a foxy grin."Listen, I've heard things about you and Sasuke." Naruto almost choked on his food. He didn't like what was about to come next. "Are you two getting along alright? Kakashi has kept a status quo on you almost every single day. Apparently you two are fighting again."

' _He has? Since when? Wait - never mind that_!'

The blonde looked down guiltily. "Well...I," he scratches the back of his head sheepishly. "I did mess things up between us..." The words themselves were vague. Iruka raised a condescending eyebrow at him, as if saying, ' _Go on_.'

"Well, it's just that..." Naruto fidgeted on the spot, not knowing what exactly to say. He finally sighed and gave in. "I'm gonna say sorry to that asshole if it's the last thing I do, 'tebayo!" With newfound resolve, he stood up and pushed his plates away. This was his chance!

"Thanks again!"

* * *

'' _At the hokage's_ ', huh? That's what she said." Sasuke sprinted street to street, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. So far, nothing came to mind. ' _She also said something about his apartment_...' He thinks; contemplating whether to go or not. Maybe there he'd see the dobe because he really needed him. He needed all the power he could get his hands on, especially after all the hell he went through. And there was one man in the village...rumored to have survived and to have seen Itachi as a spy firsthand.

Maybe he'll visit him sometime; to seek out the strength to become stronger. Even if it meant he'd have to fall into the darkness again. If that was the case, then...

_No_.

He had Naruto, now, who reminded him a lot like his brother. And he could still get stronger with or without him. (The after effects of the aphrodisiac are wearing off at this point). As he stopped his pace, he took in his surroundings with wide eyes. Where his home was; there was only ash and dust. The guards there were trying to situate the problem at hand, and commanding the builders to undergo construction. They were trying to architect another building, since the last one had burned down into cinders.

' _What the hell happened here_?' Sasuke thinks, slowing his run to a walk. He could still see a leftover flame, but he could easily tell it wasn't just some wildfire. His intellect told him that it wasn't just an accident that this had happened. Someone had set it on purpose, cautiously knowing that people were living inside the apartment complex.

That was enough for him to lose his calm composure. Someone had done this to him! And only now it was being addressed. What if the dobe had cried in there, after their argument and just...died? What if he was set on fire? What if...

' _If he died, I swear I'll_...' He stopped his inner conflict when he heard voices nearby; talking about a certain someone. It piqued his interest once he heard a familiar name.

"...Did you see his face? That demon looked like he pissed his pants! It was hilarious!  _Ha_! And it was all worth it, too. To see him suffer like that. After all he did to my wife and kids..." The taller of the trio laughs, drinking a sake. "I hope he died in that fire, though! All I saw was a lot of people, so I couldn't even see myself if the damn demon burn alive..."

"You know those old stories about witches? That if they're burned alive or drown to their death; their cursed magic goes along with them? It's kind of like this." The other laughs, lighting a cigarette. "Damn right," said the third, "the only difference is that it's the demon, not the witch. And that it's the Nine Tails dying, not the cursed magic."

' _Demon? Why are they calling the deadlast a demon? If anything, he's a moron_...' He edged closer to them, but under his disguise, he blended in with his surroundings and wasn't suspicious in the slightest. But still, now that he thought about it, Naruto had hid a lot of things; it was enough to even fool him for awhile. Although, there were times when he recalled seeing odd chakra spikes from the boy. Sometimes it was so overwhelming he couldn't breath the same air as him. But, that was only intense during battles...but outside of that. He was a good person, unlike himself.

He decided it was time to step in. He needed to know exactly what happened. After all, they didn't call him a pure genius for nothing. He'd get to the bottom of this mess. "Hey," He introduced himself, without even bothering to say his name first and foremost. They probably knew already by the his clan symbol on his back.

"Oh, it's the Uchiha boy. How yeh doin', kid?" The one chugging down alcohol asked. Sasuke eyes his beer belly with distaste. ' _These drunkards are a joke_...'

"I'm trembling with... _excitement_. How about you..."

"...go ahead and die."

With clenched fists, he walks up to the drunken man and punches him in the face. And promptly leaves, with a rush of adrenaline.

* * *

"WHERE IS HE?" Sasuke shouted, bursting out the front door and barging in on the office uninvited. Sakura and Karin are at his shadow.

"Homeless, for the time being." Hiruzen sighs, signing his signature on a ranked mission. "My boy, why are you here?" He asks, in a tiresome voice. As if he'd seen hell ten times and back and lived to tell the tale. But, the old man was still here; alive and well. If not a bit grouchy and tired all of the time. "I know you have him!" Sasuke snarled, looking between the villagers, the Anbu, and the hokage. "What the hell happened to his house!"

"We crushed it." Someone steps forward with a twisted smirk. The man with the moustache replied as if they were talking about nothing more than the weather. "We raided his home, 'stroyed his $h!t. And you wanna know why?" He cracked his knuckles with a satisfying smirk.

"He damn well deserved it, after all of our family died. Innocent lives were taken that day during the Attack. It was only when the Fourth had -" He was stopped midsentence when a cane slammed onto the wooden floor.

"Stop, Yamamoto-san. That's classified information. Only the ANBU, ROOT, and I can tell you that." The man in question reluctantly took a step back. No one dared to go against the leader of the village. It was a death wish, indeed. Hiruzen sniffed the smoke and then turned his head to Sasuke with the same dead-eye look.

"I trust you, Boy. And I feel Naruto himself should be the one to tell you the truth this time. But, enough of that. We cannot wait any longer during these dark times."

"Naruto...is the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. There are others scattered around the Elemental Countries, of course. But they are rare, and are often shunned by their village; just like Naruto. People of my generation already know about this; this is why they are against him. All history documents or textbooks about the Attack were modified so that your generation wouldn't ever know about his powers in order to protect the Uzumaki. Your library, however...is another story altogether. It's database goes back through the ancient years of the four noble clans: the Aburame, the Akimichi, the Hyuga, and, of course, the Uchiha. Though you inherit it yourself, what you do with it is completely up to you, Boy. It is not within our powers to "

Sasuke nodded in affirmation. He knew this already. What he didn't know was that he'd never thought in a million years that his teammate actually contained something as monstrous as that. No wonder he felt so lonely.

"And this is why the villagers want to do everything they can to destroy the very source of his existence. From their perspective, he is not a human boy; trying to become a hokage. He is a monster, who has taken thousands and thousands of lives. You can see how this is problematic on both sides."

' _The dobe is...the Nine-Tailed Fox..._ ' Sasuke realizes only a moment too late. He should've known from the very beginning, back to when they first kissed. ' _First...kiss..._ ' He places a hand on his cheek, feeling it redden at the thought. Glaring back at the others, he felt a boiling hot white rage overcome him like a shroud.

" ** _Don't you even lay a finger on Naruto_**!" A dark aura surrounded Sasuke, and he was about to launch at the other man at superhuman speed. But Hiruzen's guards blocked him halfway through. "Sasuke, that's enough!" Sarutobi shouted. "Your emotions are clouding your judgement. You still do not know everything. THAT is the difference between you and I."

Sasuke glared daggers at him, gritting his teeth.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke, but the hokage's right." Sakura said as the voice of reason, placing a hand on his shoulder. "None of us knew what really happened that day, and it's probably best if we didn't know. Imagine if we knew everything that happened after the Kyuubi Incident and the Uchiha Massacre. They hide the information away from us not because they wanted to, but for all of us to stay safe. It could put the village at risk and we would be at war with each other. That's why only the elders know, and our generation doesn't." She then added haughtily, crossing her arms, "And if you're so smart, then you'd realize this, too."

Sasuke brushed past her and her friend; his black bangs covering half his face. His narrowed black eyes stared daggers at the hokage. Not one person ever looked at the Old Man like that.

"You... _you_! He's the only one that understands me! Why the hell are you shunning him just like…" he chokes, "... _just like me_?" He looks down at his feet, his body trembling with rage. His fists are clenched, and he feels like tearing the whole village apart; piece by piece, brick by brick. If it weren't for them... if it weren't for them and Itachi ...

"Sasuke," Kakashi reassures from beside him. "This isn't your place to intervene. As a friend of Naruto's, it's understandable that you feel this way. That's why we're trying all we can to prevent it from ever happening again."

"Just leave me alone..." The Uchiha mumbles sourly, slapping his hand away in the process. Shoving them into his pockets, he looked at them all one last time.

"I HATE ALL OF YOU!" Sasuke screams, slamming a fist on his desk. It cracks in half, and the old man squints at him in surprise."Always acting the same! No one was there for us from the start! And...you… _and you call yourselves shinobi_! If you want to ridicule me as an emotional teenager, go ahead. As you have no idea what it's like to have brotherly bonds. You don't know what it's like, how much it hurts inside, to see a precious person in pain. This is exactly why my hatred is growing stronger and stronger, each and every passing day..." He says, closing his eyes and turning his heel.

"As for this village, I'm done with the likes of you." Left speechless; he swept through the door at a run. With one last hated look, he tore off away from them. "SASUKE!" Sakura and Karin shout after him. But, it's all to no avail.

Because the door slams shut; leaving the hokage in darkness.

* * *

_i.e. The idea that if people get too close in a relationship, they'll only hurt one another a.k.a the challenges of human intimacy. Ex) When two hedgehogs snuggle together for warmth in winter, but not too close. Otherwise their spines will harm the other hedgehog._


	14. The Loneliest Day

**X|||.**

* * *

Sasuke walks all the way home numbly. He vaguely remembers entering inside his own abode and then walking outside to the balcony. Surrounding him was the lush greenery of his zen garden (日本庭園); with a shrine altar to the side. And in the palm of his hand was a leaf that flew by ever so gently as if it were a flow of water. There were small stone pathways structuring the small rocks and streams of water beside it. They all lead to the outlook of the hokage mountain that stood over the village of Konoha. The wind cascaded through the grass and the crickets were crying at a distance. The moon was high up in the sky.

The Uchiha looked at his koi fish pond one last time. One was a bright yellow; it's gills glistened with oranges and reds. While the other one was black entirely; some blue and white colors here and there. It's fins swished about in the pond. It was kind of symbolic; like him and Naruto. And they were swimming together in unison; like Yin and Yang.

He could still see the training targets he had used over the years from over here. He remembered Itachi teaching him jutsus with them, and swinging kunai after kunai at each and every one of them. He'd always say something about "sorry, Sasuke, maybe some other time" and then Sasuke would pout at having no bonding times with his brother.

_If only he had known sooner of what his big brother was capable of..._

The cherry blossoms fell around with a slight breeze; reminding Sasuke of his teammate, Sakura. She seemed different these days. Not exactly mellow, but more sure of herself than he had. He sort of envied that about her. How she could live her life to the fullest and carefree without any worries about killing anyone she loved. Because that was who he wanted to be; to just be himself. But, there was this terrible thing called fate. And, unfortunately, he had to abide by it at all costs, even if it meant severing his ties which was just part of the process. But time was nigh. Soon, he would have no choice but to leave behind the village he may have called home in another life. Including Naruto...

The sounds of nature soothed the Uchiha, though, calmed him even. It reminded him of times when his father and mother used to play with him outside. The feeling was bittersweet at best, and sometimes he dreamt of having a family of his own. But that was ignored in favor of trying to grow stronger for the sake of revenge.

From his pocket, he pulled out something miniscule. Sasuke played his bamboo flute at the dead of night; lullabying his Mother's words exactly as if by heart. He hummed bits and pieces of her lyrics, and let the music play for itself. To anyone else, he wouldn't be playing at all. But, by himself…

But here he was alone and at ease. No one to distract him from his goal, no one to save, no one to destroy here. He was all alone, just like he wanted.

He  _heard something in his house_.

It was faint, but he heard it all the same. And it wouldn't be such a problem if the sounds weren't so constant, and after a padding of footsteps, he knew someone was there. Sighing, he shoves his instrument into his pocket once again. And walked inside, closing both the slider and the curtains behind him with a sigh. "Kakashi." He says slowly, shuffling over to said man. "Oh! There you are. He he, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect you to be awake this late at night."

His sensei coos with a wave. He was standing in front of the bookcase that the Uchiha knew he had unsealed somehow. "I know what you're doing. If someone outside of the family tries to enter through, they're put under a genjutsu. It only ends once…

"... _they watch the ones they love die_."

He adds in, not even looking at him. This was awkward enough, being as anti social as he was, but also a topic he couldn't easily talk about. It's not like death was something to poke fun at, because, in all honesty, it wasn't. A shinobi witnessing their ally die in battle is already painful enough to watch; let alone when it's someone they care about. But twice is enough for someone to lose their sanity.

And from his sensei's perspective... _Oh_. That would explain why he saw a repeat of Obito's death all over again. A shadow covered half of Kakashi's face, obscuring most of his features, though Sasuke didn't see.

"So, spill. What do you want from the Uchiha Library. To the point where you enter inside my house uninvited and try to look into things you shouldn't." The boy crossed his arms, and gave him a serious look that meant no messing around. He was  _doomed_. Kakashi closed his eyes, scratching his chin in thought."Maa, maa. Easy there, Sasuke. All I know is that there's a red moon with the Mangekyou Sharingan over the sky once there's a full moon. I'd like to report this to the hokage, and see if I can find any documents or whatnot around here. It's not asking for too much, is it?" Sasuke shook his head.

"Hnn. And might I ask why, exactly?" Sasuke tapped his foot impatiently. This really wasn't the time or day to go out and solve a mystery, especially when he was interrupted halfway through his song. "Don't you want to know, as well? As a small village, all things, no matter how big or small, are substantial to us. Looking into his might benefit us for the better, you know? Every bit counts!" He added in with a chuckle. The blue boy deadpanned. "Tch, whatever. Do what you want." Sasuke was still peeved that there was no word about what had happened to the blonde. Whether he was alive or dead was uncertain. And that annoyed Sasuke, most of all.

_Without even knowing, tears trickled down his cheeks just thinking about him. And Kakashi noticed._

"You know, we can work out your feelings. I know you've been down in the dumps ever since Naruto left. And I'm sure that, wherever he is, he's happy. For you, for himself, for Team Seven. You're not alone on this, Sasuke. I want you to know that." He says, cupping his chin.

The Uchiha's lower lip trembled, and suddenly a floodful of tears spilled out of his eyes.

Without even thinking, he sobs into his chest. Even now, he doesn't know why. Maybe it's because of holding it in for so long that he feels empty. Maybe it's because he doesn't know what the hell happened to his Naruto. Maybe it's because he doesn't want him dead, yet... "It's alright, Sasuke. We're here for you, you know. We're Team Seven." Kakashi soothes, brushing his hair out of his eyes. Sasuke sniffles.

"Sorry," Sasuke mumbles into Kakashi-sensei's shoulder. His sensei chuckles, patting him on the back reassuringly."From one to another, hmm? It's healthy to let it all out sometimes. This is how the shinobi world works. Sometimes those that are dear to us die in battle. Though they are dead, we must remember to live on without them." Sasuke nodded, only feeling a little bit better. He snuggled closer to him for warmth.

"That damn dobe better be OK, making me break down over him…"

"And he will be." Kakashi says, rubbing his back in circles. "It'll take some time, for sure...but you must learn to cope with these feeling of sorrow and sadness. That doesn't mean you have to mask your feelings, like Naruto did...be honest with yourself. No one's saying you have to Live a Lie."

"H - Hn." Sasuke hiccupped, closing his eyes. "You, Sasuke...I have full faith in you." Kakashi smiles, letting him go, and turning his back on him once he reached the front door. "Well, toodles! I've got a date to attend to! Good bye!" In a poof of smoke, he disappears in all Kakashi fashion. "I'll be back soon~!"

Seeing as how it was one in the morning, he opted to sleep in, even though he so badly wanted to hum himself his mother's lullaby. Making his way to his room, he lays down on his futon. And Sasuke sleeps a dream, for the first time, in a long time, and not a nightmare.

**XXX**

_"Be careful, boys!" Mikoto Uchiha calls from the front. "Take good care of him, OK, Itachi?"_

_"I will." Itachi promised his mother with a small smile. She waved to them and closed the door of their house._

_As they were walking along the streets with suspicious glances thrown their way from the villagers, there was only thing that caught Sasuke's eye. "It's that boy again..." He murmurs, pointing to the blonde kid across the street. He seemed to be all by himself, with no mother and father in sight. Even if he was just a stranger, the younger of the two Uchihas felt a strong, albeit strange, affinity towards him._

_"What of it?" Itachi asks from beside him, mind focused mostly on the coup d' etat more so than anything else. A clouded look filled his eyes as he thought about the next great shinobi war. If he didn't stop the Uchiha and the Leaf, it would only be a matter of time before blood would shed in the process. It only snapped back to his little brother when he heard him talking about the blonde. "I - it's just that...he looks so lonely."_

_'Like me...'_

_"Hmm. I suppose it's alright." Itachi ruffled his hair playfully, in a way that Sasuke always hated him doing. "Go ahead and talk to him. I won't stop you."_

_"Thank you so much, big brother!" He wraps his arms around his waist and chases off after the blonde. "Hello!" He smiles brightly at the boy, helping him up to his feet. Now that he got to see him up close, he did look really dirty. Where was his home? Where was his family? They had to be here somewhere!_

_"W - who're you?" His crystal clear clear eyes were glassy with tears."I'm Sasuke," the boy introduces himself with dimpled cheeks. "And you are?"_

_"A - ah!" His blue eyes widened and he backed away, scared. Turning away, he sprinted off into the distance._

_The Uchiha watched him go sadly._

**XXX**

* * *

 

The next morning, he decides to find Naruto himself, even if it meant going to the ends of the earth for his sorry ass. If he wasn't going to say sorry, then he would. He had to confront him and apologize about being more of a bastard than he usually was. Even if the baka died, he hoped that he was alright wherever he was. He was ready, now more than ever.

Sasuke stops at Icharaku's ramen stand. ' _Where the hell is he_?' he thinks to himself, shoving past mass amounts of people until he's at the stool where Naruto is. He's slurping down noodles, and Sasuke punches him from behind. The blonde trips over in surprise.

"Uh, Sasuke…" He mumbles, his head in circles as it looks like his teammate is staring at him from above. ' _Am I seein' things or...is that the teme_?' The Uchiha frowns down at his sprawled out form. "We're going. Now." He said in a voice that left no room for arguments. He dragged Naruto by the collar away from Ayame and Teuchi. Passersby stared at the two skeptically.

" _WHAT THE HELL_!" Naruto yelled from his spot, "I'm not some dog, teme!"

"Hn. Of course you're not a mutt like Kiba, _usuratonkachi_." He snorts dismissively. He realized they must look really suspicious together. After all, the only times they go out together in public is when they were with their team. And in this case, it was just the two of them. Together. Who'd have thought? Naruto grumbled to himself, something about "bastards" and "temes". Sasuke walked the both of them over to a secluded street that no one seemed to take. Everything else seemed abandoned, or, at least, shut down to some extent. But, there was this one house that seemed closed off from the others. So, the two crossed it, with Naruto helping himself up at this point from being dragged around like a ragdoll.

While they were strolling about, Naruto was subtly holding his hand. It was silent for awhile; and the two avoided eye contact or looking at each other after their date from a few days ago. It still made Naruto jittery and he had jolted once they entered inside through the hallways to a painfully familiar room. Sasuke opens it up for him, and he looks all around in awe.

"This is your room," The asshole says out of the blue, and pointed to the futon on the middle of the floor. "And we'll sleep there from now on."

"S - Sasuke?" Naruto stared aghast, so stunned that his eyes popped out of his sockets (not literally, but figuratively)

"Dobe…" He can't remember a time he'd been more forward with his feelings. "We're living together from here on out. Since you're on your own...I don't want you to die for being an idiot that can't think with your head straight. It would only slow our team down, and that's the last thing I want, you moron. I doubt even Sakura would let you sleep over at her house. You're lucky I think so strongly of our team, deadlast." He huffs, crossing his arms with a frown. His black beady eyes looked at the blonde's blue ones; just waiting for an answer.

What he didn't expect was such an onslaught of emotions from such a statement.

"S - Sasuke…" Naruto choked; blue eyes softened, and he automatically wrapped his arms around the other's waist. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you,  _thank you_  !" He cried into his shoulder. The blue boy felt his heart leap a miles a minute. All he could think of was Naruto. No revenge, no Itachi, no desire to grow stronger. Just...Naruto.

_Was it wrong to think of his smiles, to think of his laugh? And of the blonde, in general?_

Sasuke returned it back with a soft smile. As much as he'd hate to admit it, he liked the blonde smiling at him. It just showed that there was a little light left, even in the darkness...


	15. The Snake Sannin Strikes Once Again!

**X|V.**

* * *

"Let's play shogi (chess)." He says, pushing Naruto off of himself.  _It was WAY too embarrassing!_  Especially if it was him and not just with some fangirl of his... "EH?" Naruto blinked, processing the information and then it hit him. He grinned foxily. "Hehe, I'm totally gonna kick your ass! Buh-lieve it, 'tebayo!" He taunted; posing heroically. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sometimes, he was too idiotic; acting like a knight in shining armor in one of those fairytales...

"I'm just a lot smarter than you, dobe." Sasuke mocked half heartedly. It was way too tempting to poke fun at him. And his reactions were always exaggerated. Small things like that never change; including their dynamics as a duo. "Sure aren't, asshole!" Naruto stuck a tongue out at him, and rocked his body back and forth in anticipation.  _He couldn't wait to play!_

The teme put the chess board between them and placed the pieces on their according sides. Halfway through the game, and hoping for a checkmate, Sasuke saw the Uzumaki drooping. The other player just wasn't, well,  _playing_. " _Hn_? Isn't it your turn?" He challenged pointedly, eyeing the blonde as he doesn't move for a moment. He seems deep in thought about something. What it is, Sasuke doesn't know.

"Uh...Sas'ke." Naruto began, suddenly finding the floor more interesting than the person right in front of him. "I've never played this before...and, uh…" he says, sounding a bit unsure, "I wanna do somethin' else." The Uchiha furrowed his eyebrow.

" _What is it_." The blue boy snaps in a murderous tone.

"W - well, it's just that...erm. I wanna read an' all. I mean, if I wanna become hokage, I hafta do it, right? You promised…." Naruto pouted, crossing his arms. He glowered at the other boy with a ' _humph_!' Sasuke stared at him blankly, and slowly stood up after some serious consideration.

"Wait a minute," he said walking out and then, after a few moments, came back inside with a ton of books in his hands. He then sat down with the blonde and pulled out one for him to see.

"Here," he chucked it at Naruto's head.  _He shoots..._

"H - HEY!" Naruto grumbled.

_He SCORES!_

"Ow, ow,  _ouchies_! GEEZ! That hurt like hell, you bastard!"

"Damn right it did, you loser," Sasuke teased. "That's for leaving me here and making me worry, " He slipped up, and covered his mouth almost immediately after he said that. But, the damage was already done.  _Did he really just say what he thought he just said?_ "I - I'll beat you into a -  _WHAT_?" He tilted his head in confusion. " _YOU_  were worried about  _ME_?" He pointed at him and then at himself. His whole world just took turn of 360. In response, Sasuke nodded, though however reluctant he may be. Which made Naruto blink in disbelief.

"Tch, y-yeah, whatever!" Sasuke rolled his eyes, blushing. "It's not like I wanted to! Y - you were just...You're part of the team. If you had died..." He trails off, grumbling incoherently. "Hehe." Naruto eyes crinkled, smirking deviously. He knew he had hit the jackpot. The teme glared at him with red-filled cheeks. "Bastard. As long as I'm around, no one's dyin'!" In emphasis, he wrapped an arm around Sasuke's neck and beamed.

The Uchiha shivered at the personal touch, not used to such intimate contact from anyone, much less from a fellow teammate. " _See_? I ain't dead." Naruto teased, cheeks dimpling. Sasuke sighed and shoved him away forcefully, but still looked pretty flustered about it. "W - whatever. Let's look at the hiragana and katakana again, and differentiate the kanji..." Sasuke crosses his fingers, hoping for a distraction by opening the book itself.

"We'll recite the words and sounds together."

"N - NANI!" Naruto exclaimed. Sasuke bonked him on the head for interrupting his monologue. "Oi, shut up, you doofus. As I was saying, let's just read this together already..." As Sasuke drawled on and on about what fire elements he used in his jutsus, Naruto stifled a yawn and eventually fell asleep. He was unaware that he slumped against his best friend's shoulders.

He was awoken around midday when a foot nudged his sides. There's a comforter wrapped around him, and as he looked up, it was to the face of -  _what do you know?_  -the cocky bastard.

"Wake up. You sweat of ramen. Go get a shower." Sasuke commanded in all Uchiha-like fashion. "And a good afternoon to you, too!" The blonde retorted; the hot head about ready to lose it. Naruto obliged after much stubborn thought to walk outside of the room and into the bathroom.

"Man, he was right. I do stink." Naruto sniffed his arm pits, and his face scrunched up at the stench. He tossed aside his clothing until he was completely stripped naked. Stepping into the tub, he turned on the faucet and started up the shower. Steam wavered around the room, as steaming hot water hit his back. His spine arched and he hissed at the sensation. It eventually cooled him and he started cleaning his body from living in the trees for a whole day or two.

' _Ahh, that's the spot_ ~.' His eyes rolled to back of his head, as he just stood there with his head to the ceiling.

 _He sure could get used to this!_  You know, maybe this wasn't so bad, after all. Living his life with the teme by his side. However insufferable he may be, at the very least he was bearable (unlike the villagers).  _What could stop him, now?_  That's right; nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just when he was affirming to himself that maybe staying wasn't such a bad idea, of course, his inner demon had to say otherwise.

" **You smell**." Kyuubi snorts into his head.

' _Thanks a lot, Kurama_.' Naruto stormed internally. From here, he was scrubbing himself from top to bottom from any of the excess leaves and the occasional twig in his hair. However! Being nude like this had it's advantages, he could see from his stomach that his black seal was acting up again. And every now and then it would become apparent as the Nine Tails spoke.

' _I still can't believe it. The teme's letting me live inside his house. What the hell happened to him, anyways_?' He lathers soap all around his body, and watches as bubbles gather around his feet. It still mesmerizes him that the one he hated most of all would actually do this for him. There was still a lot left unsaid, that he wished to talk about.

" **Maybe he's had a change of heart.** " Kurama suggested. ' _Whatever it is, something's goin' on with that bastard...I just don't know what to do about it. A - and then...the other day, he...CRAP! What do I say! We fought, and then I left him for good, right? Well, and ever since it's been kinda weird between us. What the heck do I do, Kurama? I'm kinda dyin' here!_ ' Naruto thinks desperately, scrubbing his hair with shampoo. He pouted when he realized he left his towel outside the door. And he was naked...

" **Be yourself, Kit. Your boyfriend is just confused, is all. Conflicted about a lotta things, maybe? I dunno. You ask me, kiddo**."

' _W - WHAT?! I'd never - He's NOT my boyfriend! I don't even like the guy. YUCK! How could you say such a thing, Kurama!_ ' Naruto shrieked internally; angry at the fact the Fox would say something like that. Brushing it off, he turns the knob off and steps out of the tub; dripping wet.

Crossing the room, Naruto opens the door in search of his towel, but then collides into someone and they both crashed to the floor.

_Meanwhile..._

"Naruto?" Sasuke asked quietly, knocking on the door. "Oi, NARUTO! Are you done, yet?" he hollered, banging on his door impatiently. " _Naruto_?" He demanded, pressing his ear against the door and hearing something shuffle inside. He picked up his towel from the floor and entered in. He walks in on him naked. And nosebleeds, promptly closing the door without a second thought. Or, that's what he would've done if the door hadn't opened yet again, and to the blonde ramming face to face into him. They both crashed; eyes wide as their mouths collide.

And then, he smushes his lips with Naruto on accident. That second seemed like the longest moment in his life, both looking equally as flustered as they felt. And then they both hacked the kiss out of their mouth. ' _D - damn...why did I like it...he's done this with me a lot lately...I don't know what to think anymore_.' He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and stares daggers at Naruto.

"W - why is it always with you?" he sneered, looking away with a faint blush adorning his cheeks."AGH! This is the third time!  _The THIRD time_!" Naruto shouted after him. ' _Why can't he be a she? It's always me kissing a guy. And Sasuke, no less_...' he blushes to himself. ' _You know what_...' He thinks, feeling Kyuubi take over out of nowhere.

He shoves his mouth back into Sasuke's once again. Naruto moaned, saliva trailing his mouth, as his razor-sharp teeth bit onto his lower lip. The Uchiha wrapped his arms around his neck - hands entwined in his blonde hair - and leaned into the kiss.  _Naruto wasn't giving up just yet_! His tongue licked the outline of the Uchiha's teeth and then they both clashed their tongues together as they made out. Mouth sounds filled the otherwise quiet and empty house as the two engaged in gay sex.

Sasuke, breathless and almost dying, let Naruto smother him with bite marks. His body tensed once he felt fangs dig deep into his flesh. He hissed, as blood trickles down his neck. The blonde licked it for him; tasting metal. "Y - you...isn't this too fast?" The black-haired boy asked weakly; without any energy to fight back." **I've felt like this for a long time**.  **Y - you meant so much to me...you were my first friend...** " Naruto says in Kurama's voice; his eyes turning into slits. His pupils became a violent shade of red, just like the Nine Tails. " **Ever since...we met... and even now**..."

Sasuke grunted, and was thrown against the wall haphazardly. The way the blonde swung his hips against him. Did he know how hot he looked at that moment? The Uchiha tried to hide his nosebleed (and his arousal) but it was gradually growing obvious that this was enticing him. ' _N - Naruto...if only you knew...that I liked you, too.._.'

"D - dobe," he says through the pleasure. He places a palm on Naruto's face, gazing at him lovingly with lustful eyes. "I...believe in you." Naruto nodded numbly, and wrapped his arms around him. Tired beyond belief, they eventually stopped as their chakra gradually lessened until there was barely any left.

Both of them, fatigued, slumped against each other. The scent of blood and sweat filled the air. Sasuke struggles to stand up through heavy breathing. Looking down at their lower halves, he sees that Naruto was naked; unlike him. The Uchiha slid against the wall, eyes half lidded as he gave way to sleep. Regaining his senses, Naruto's red eyes turned back to blue.

' _Huh_?' Clueless, he stares at the body below him. Seeing Sasuke's sprawled out form, he tried shaking him awake. "Hey, Sasuke?" His teammate opens his eyes and glances at him, before slapping him across the face. Sending Naruto a glare, he storms off to the room the two had shared. ' _W - what the hell? What was that all about_?' Naruto held a hand over his bruised face and stands up; his body feeling numb as he walked back into the bathroom.

The Uzumaki then walked out shirtless, with a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was still wet, but he had someone to talk to. Picking up his orange jacket, he zips it up and walks over to the door of their room. Now that it was here in the flesh from his apartment, he would use it to his complete advantage. Following his gut instinct, he presses it ajar to their bedroom where his "boy friend" was waiting.

When he entered inside, Sasuke was STILL giving him the cold shoulder. It was pissing him off, frankly. The way he had sometimes acted like he was "holier than thou" as if he was above him. "Look, it's OK! I don't care if you saw me naked, o-or ANYTHING!" He snapped, crossing his arms."We're roommates, now, yanno? Hit me as many times as you wanna! Just tell me what I did wrong!" He cried desperately. The fact that the Kyuubi was laughing his ass off in the background was unsettling enough.

Actually...his fox demon DID seem a bit strange. He realized, only a moment too late, as visions of what had transpired flashed before his eyes. ' _Kurama_ ,' he cursed internally. He should've known. "Oh, I - I kinda overdid on ya." Shame pooled his stomach, he would have  _never_  done that to him on normal circumstances. Besides, Sakura-chan was WAY hotter than this teme!

"Hn..." His comrade seemed unfazed. His gaze, instead, seemed focused on something outside their window.

"I want to show you something. Get dressed and follow me."

* * *

Around dusk, the duo walked over to the woods where fireflies fluttered all around them. A few trees here and there had wooden targets set up, but most of them molded over with tree moss. ' _Whoa, what's this place_?' Naruto looked around, eyes wide as he looked high and low. A bird chirped in the clearing and the autumn air breezed past them. It was the perfect day to go out and train.

Naruto ran forward, laughing, but then stopped at one target in particular. "What is _THAT_?" He points a finger and looks back with big, doe eyes.

Sasuke stared at it bemusedly with a hand on his hip.

"Oh, this? Target practice. I haven't used it in a long time. Wanna try?" Sasuke smirked at Naruto beside him, throwing one into his hands. "Of course, that is, if you can manage throwing kunai at all twenty five of them all scattered throughout this area. Unless, that's too much for you, scaredy cat?" The Uchiha mocked, knowing he had the upper hand when he saw the peeved look cross over the blonde's face. The blonde growled and jabbed a finger into the other boy's chest; his competitive nature shining through. "Not if I have a say in it! Your ass is goin' into the ground, dattebayo!" Mildly amused, Sasuke waved a dismissive hand and crossed his legs.

"Go along, now. I'll be waiting here and watching. Once you can show me that you can accomplish such a feat, then maybe you'll surpass me...as a teammate - no - as a  _friend_." The blonde couldn't simply back down now.  _Why would he?_  This was his big chance to earn Sakura-chan's affection AND also the admiration of the whole village. If he could overcome this challenge known as Sasuke, then he could do anything! Heck, maybe even become hokage no matter how difficult it may be! Just imagine, the great Uzumaki Naruto battling the sole survivor, Sasuke Uchiha, to the death! It would only be a matter of time before he'd save the day.

With that thought in mind, and a solute, he made a mad dash to the other trees and shrubbery where they were likely to be hidden in the small forested area.

By now, Sasuke had stared off after the blonde to make sure he was completely out of sight until there was just a small dot in the distance, and so he crumbled an orange leaf that floated into his hands with a mad glint in his eyes.

' _Itachi_...' He glowered. ' _I swear that, within every inch of my body, I will kill you with my own hands if I have to! I won't let you live a moment any longer for what you have done to mother and father_...' He punched the tree beside him so forcefully that it broke in two and fell down with a bang. Even though he thought that, the words themselves felt empty even to himself. From the very beginning, his only goal in life was to kill him for what he had done.  _What would he do after that?_  It's not like he had any ambition in life after his brother's death.

Sasuke only looked up when he heard a splash of water not so far from here nearby, to which he saw Naruto struggling to stay afloat on the river nearby he forgot to mention ahead of time. Using the log beside him, he swiftly ran after him and used it to block the blonde midstream, so that he wouldn't swim away. Using his  _taijutsu_  - his aerial jump - he lifted himself into the air to come crashing down to Naruto.

"Careful!" The Uchiha caught him in his arms and promptly jumped back to land. Placing him down carefully, and stepping aside, he sees him struggling to stand up with his clothes soaked. "Ah," His voice came out raspy as he groaned. " _Urrrgh_."

"You're lucky I caught you in time." Sasuke remarked, bending down to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "If it wasn't for me, you'd have been washed ashore to who knows where." He did make a good point. But, Naruto wasn't going to give it up just yet. "H - hey!" The blonde snaps, regaining his breath and choking out water in the process. "You were the one who dropped into the stream, idiot." Sasuke scolds, crossing his arms. "I -  _Oh, yeah_! Guess I did, huh?" Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head self cautiously.

After a moment of silence, Sasuke decided to acknowledge his curiosity. If not for himself, then for the sake of the stupidly adorable and irresistibly lovable idiot."Since you wanted to know so badly, I might as well tell you. My brother and I used to train all the time here, before my parents died. It was our secret hideout, and we used to practice here all the time without them knowing about what we were doing. Our own base, before my whole clan died that day."

"I'm...sorry, Sasuke." Feebly, he looked down and clasped his hands together. "I acted without thinking and I - and I'm sorry. I didn't mean ta hurt ya like that. I understand."

"No, it's fine. It's all in the past; do what you want with it. Besides, now you know." Suddenly, the blonde smirked, and, from behind him, brought out all the wooden boards and tossed it to the other boy. "I ...  _hah_  ... caught...the last... _hah_  ... target! I beat your score, Sasuke, by a tenfold! Got all 'o them, easy!" Switching from sad to outright shocked, his best friend looked at it skeptically. ' _There's no way! I-I can't believe it...he knocked them out like they were nothing_!' The Uchiha marvelled, his jaw dropping. ' _It took me years just to master that craft, and yet, he did it all...just like that? Amazing..._ '

Naruto shivered from the cold, teeth chattering, causing Sasuke to look up, alarmed. "Errr. Y - you, uh, don't happen to have a spare fishnet shirt, do ya? 'Cuz I'm kinda freezin' to death here!" It was then that Sasuke couldn't hold it in any longer, with how hilarious the Uzumaki was right now. Letting out a laugh, he admitted defeat.

"Hahah, I surrender. I think that's enough for one day. Let's go home and get you changed."

Naruto nodded affirmative and they both set off to their abode, hand in hand.

* * *

"There. You good now?" Sasuke had wrapped a big blanket around him and presented him a glass of lukewarm milk. It was dark by now as they sat together in the middle of their room.

"Heh he. 'Course I am!" He did a thumbs-up and used that trademark grin of his that got the Uchiha every time. He always wondered how he could be so happy, even now. When there was still so many wrong things in this shinobi world. That's why he was going to make things right again. By killing the one who did wrong, he would cleanse the world anew of his sins and start a new one where there was only him, Naruto, and a loving village.

"Now that I think about it, why were you in that river in the first place?"

Like a deer caught in headlights, The Uzumaki stiffened up at the question, and fumbled on the spot. ' _Can't just say it all out on the open like this. And I didn't have enough chakra to get across the stream for that one target, either...'_

" **Well, ya know what they say, Kit! Lyin' is the best medicine. Since the er - since the beginning of time. Trust me on this, kiddo. Ya got this; give it your all!** "

' _I'm pretty sure that's not the saying. But. Well, here goes nothin'_.'

"Ya see, I-I can't swim!" He said a little louder than he meant to. The silence following soon after became so unbearable, that Naruto was dreading every single moment of it. ' _Please let this be over already_!' He thinks, panicking, his hands shaking.

' _Can't swim_?' Sasuke echoed in his mind, eyes wide as he looked at his friend in concern. Naruto nodded, and looked at the wall as if recalling the events that unfolded a long time ago. "I remember when they tried to drown me one time. They said I was better off dead." He exhales shakily, trying not to cry as he remembered them trying to suffocate the little boy that he was. By the way his body shrivelled up, it must be a sensitive topic. "If it bothers you, then don't talk about it, dobe," Sasuke reasons logically. "It's for the best."

...

...

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah?"

" _Thanks_." Naruto beamed at him "I really mean it. If you weren't there for me, I'd have died back there." The Uchiha stared, not expecting that answer. Smiling to himself, he closed his eyes and cupped his cheek. "...Don't mention it. Now, goodnight." Sasuke blew out the candle beside them and off to sleep they went. ' _Sweet dreams_...'

* * *

" **Uchiha**..." A familiar voice hissed in his ears one night as they were snuggling into their futon. Sasuke rubbed his eyes, sitting up with a stretch, and looking around on high alert. ' _Who's there? Who the hell is this_?'

" **My name isss Orochimaru...and I will be your guide, if you ssso wisssh."**  A voice whispers inside his mindscape,

" **I am here, in your mind, becaussse I need to be here. Aren't you tired of alwaysss being behind hisss back, watching from afar? Asss he becomes ssstronger, better, than you ever will be?"** He nodded, knowing it was all true. As much as he had hated to admit it, Naruto was everything he never was. Always three steps ahead in almost every single way. If he continued on like this, he would only struggle to catch up, in the end.  _Was it so wrong to give in?_  And to just... _let it all go?_

" **Enacting your revenge is ssso easssy. I know exactly what you desire, you always wanted to have the sssame eyesss asss your brother. You know what I ssspeak of, the _Mangekyou Sssharingan_."**

Sasuke's eyes widened at the mention of the name. Yes,  _it is_  what he had wanted. But, to even become half as powerful as him, he needed to do something which was no easy task.

"Killing his best friend" as he had been told. But, he wasn't like Itachi. If not that, feeling something so out of the ordinary for an Uchiha to feel would awaken his true power. Seeing as he had no emotion, that was deemed almost impossible. So, as a shortcut, could this man really help him?  **"And yet, you're ssstill weak, even with your ssso-called ssspecial technique. You wisssh to u** **nlock the sssecond tomoe on your eye completely. Doing all you can ssso that one day you will have all three at your disssposssal. All you have to do is sssacrifice your body for mine...that isss all it takesss...kukukuku**. **"**

' _So, what do I do, now? And what will you do for me in return?'_ Sasuke questions, intrigued." **Sssimple. Leave the village. You are not part of the Leaf, not anymore. To become powerful like me, you mussst do as I sssay. Do I make myssself clear**?"

' _Perfectly_...'

He threw his headband protector to the floor, splitting the metal plate in two.


	16. Departure

**XV.**

* * *

"Rise an' shine, bastard!" Naruto shouted in Sasuke's ear one morning.

Sasuke groaned, burying his face deeper into the pillow and blocking out the world. Scooting closer, the Uzumaki added more chakra into his voice so that it magnified."I said, RISE AN' SHINE, TEME!" He screamed with the force of a thousand suns, making his teammate look pet peeved. "Alright, alright. I'm up. Now, shut up, already." Sasuke sent him a death glare, meaning no messing around with. Naruto pouted and grumbled to himself, "Geez, just tryin' to help ya out here, bastard."

"Hmph."

Aaaaand back to square one.

As they stood up, something on the floor glinted under the sunlight of the window. Naruto picked it up and cocked his head to the side. " _Wha_  -? Hey, teme, what happened to your hitai-ate?" The blonde eyes it closely, the leaf symbol was sliced in half. "I don't need that thing," Sasuke replied, pointing to his own forehead. Naruto looked taken aback. Somehow he knew he was dead serious about it. A dark aura had surrounded his body completely.

"Of course ya need it, teme! You're one of us." He exclaimed. "We're a team! Wearing this means you're a ninja of the Leaf. Just like you -  _or me_!"

"..." Sasuke remained silent, further alleviating his suspicions. "Baka, you're my friend!" He says with such ferocity that Sasuke jolts back because of it. "You are  _my friend_. And it's because of that that we work together. Kakashi-sensei said so himself. Those that treat their teammates like trash are worse than scum."

' _Stalling for time_ ,' he crossed his fingers behind his back, hoping that he believed his words just as much as he did. "Fine, just this once," The Uchiha snapped, tying it back on, though however reluctantly. "There, you happy now?"

' _Why's it cracked open?...And why is he trying not to wear it_?'

"I guess..." He shrugs, narrowing his eyes, and squinting. Something sure was fishy about this. "I just..I dunno. Why're you acting so weird around me these days?"

"Hn." Sasuke answered stubbornly, crossing his arms and looking away. Naruto growled and tackled him. "N - NARUTO!" He shouted, feeling him press against him again. There was still that awkward silence where they sat there, looking away from each other. "Please, I just wanna know why..." Naruto asked him pleadingly, with tears in his eyes, and Sasuke almost felt guilty about what he was going to say. But, it needed to be said. Otherwise, he would never know...

"L - Listen," he muttered. "There's something...I have to tell you..." Sasuke started off quietly, not used to talking to Naruto privately like this. In public, it was always the same old back and forth banter/bickering. But, like this, when they were all alone…it just wasn't the same. "I...don't know how you'll take it, but…" He murmured, "...we're leaving the village. Pack up your things and we can go without a trace. And as soon as possible."

" _What_? Sasuke,  _what the hell_?" Traumati, his hands shook as he reached for the kunai from his pouch. It'd be easy to kill him now, to end his life. To leave was like committing a crime.  _And if the bastard would do such a thing_...!

Apparently his face said it all, because Sasuke added in sadly,

"Kakashi hasn't taught me enough. Even now...I'm not even close to strong. I'm still weak, just like how I was five years ago. When I witnessed my whole clan die before me." Sasuke looks down and clenches his fist. "I'm starting to see it now, you were always one step ahead of me. And I - and I was just your shadow, watching as you grew stronger and stronger with all the others. And maybe someday the whole village. I'm still alone." Naruto looks at him sadly. He knows that feeling all too well...Still. Leaving the village? After all they've been through together?

"You're the only way I can cope with these feelings. To let out my emotions; to finally be free of myself. But, it won't last for long, I know that already." He says, locking desperate eyes with him. Reaching out a hand to his face, he says, "You're one of the few people that is family to me." Sasuke admitted. "That's why I love you, so, so much. I wish I said it sooner, after all of this time..."

"S - Sasuke..." Naruto's eyes fill with tears.  _What could he do? What can he say?_

"I understand if you don't want to come with me. You want to become hokage. If you're a missing nin like me, then you'll never achieve your dream. And I don't want you to suffer like that again."

"Sasuke, I…"

"If you want to stay, I won't stop you. I'm going to leave the village no matter what. Whether you choose to come with me is completely up to you." Sasuke said, gripping his hand for a sense of connection. There was none.

" I- I can't do that, Sasuke! Everyone here means so much to me! They're my family! And what about Team Seven? Did everything we do mean nothing to you?"

"It wasn't meaningless. The Leaf may be your home, but it isn't mine. If that's what you think, then, I suppose this is goodbye. I thought we were similar and that you were different than them. You're so much more. If you choose them over me, then...this is goodbye -" He turns around to leave, but...

"-WAIT! Sasuke, I -!" He called out helplessly, yanking him back by the sleeve. Sasuke stumbles, and glares at him out the corner of his eyes. Naruto opens his mouth to speak, but looking past his shoulder...

...He sees someone else with them.

The Uzumaki screams, but then a hand clasps onto his mouth. Anything he says is muffled.

**PREVIEW OF NEXT CHAPTER:**

_"Oh, why hello there, Sasuke." The boy himself turns around; and had a heart attack._

_"I - Itachi-?"_

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	17. Human Instumentality

**XV|.**

**P.S.** _Sorry for the cheesy/corny action scenes! Writing them isn't easy for me, but I hope you got the general idea at least and like the chapter anyway?_

_Thanks for reading, as always :D_

* * *

"Oi,  _Naruto_! Stay back," Sasuke uncovers his mouth and brings out his kunai knives from his pouch automatically. Across from the room stood the two Akatsuki men. At the other side, Sasuke was standing in front of Naruto, who had backed into a corner.

' _This could get deadly_...' His dark eyes dart between the blonde behind him and then at the intruders carefully. ' _A chidori alone isn't enough to stop my brother. And attacking head on would be idiotic_.' His black eye flickered to Naruto. ' _Even I'm not that stupid. And yet...'_ There was no time to devise a plan. If he had to die to save the idiot, then, so be it. ' _If that's the case, then_...'

"Ah, little brother." Itachi greeted just like old times. "How nice to see you again. Truly. It is fate that we both are standing here today. But, enough foreplay. It's time to finish what we've started. The guards are distracted at the moment, but even that won't last long. Let's make this quick and painless." His eyes flickered to the person beside him, and smiles.

"Come here, Naruto Uzumaki." He opened his arms, advancing towards the blonde who looked like he'd seen death. "It's either you... or the village. That is what I ask you. Life...or death?"

Sasuke took a menacing step forward, eyes thinning as he stared at the shadow of the one he used to call a brother. "ITACHI! What the hell are you doing here? Konoha is off limits, you know that." The shark guy beside him with his sword unsheathed smirks. "Oh, well, would you look at that. The Uchiha brat is shielding his fox boy…" He slammed his sword to the wooden floor where it cracked in two and propped an arm on it's hilt.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes into slits. "Itachi...give me one good reason why I shouldn't just kill you right now!" He seethed; trying to block the blonde away from his corrupt brother. If he couldn't survive this, then maybe that idiot could, at least...

"Simple, isn't it, little brother? One genin against two rogue nin... you two are clearly outmatched, so your only choice is to surrender. This isn't your business to interfere with. Leave now and I will spare your life on a whim without question. This is between me and your teammate."

"No, I won't let you! If you're going to just take him, then...at least tell me why. You shut me out last time, after all of these years, I still know nothing about you. Tell me."

' _I beg you, please_ ,' Sasuke crossed his fingers, ' _Buy us some time_...'

"Hn, we were supposed to capture the jinchuuriki and go. But, as it is, it seems like there's a change of plans, now." Itachi smirks coyly, taking a step forward. Outstretching a hand, he says,"I already tormented him with dreams of his mother and father. Now, he's all mine for the taking. My brother, hand him over and I'll let you go freely." Sasuke shook his head. "Let me try this again. If you so much as kill him, then I'll see you to HELL! Only I can do that to Naruto!" While Sasuke was distracting Itachi, Naruto used this opportunity to reach out for his kunai set and was about to swing a few as a surprise attack. But then the shark guy had his hand firm in his grip in a swift of speedlines. He brought out a fist and punched him square in the stomach. Naruto stumbles over slightly, coughing out blood, and doubling over in pain.

"Stubborn as always, foolish little brother. But, you don't faze me. There's still not enough hate inside of you…." Itachi murmurs, a red aura surrounding him. He had swiftly knocked the boy aside like he was nothing. His hands were wrapped around his neck, choking him against the wall. Sasuke looked into his face helplessly, eyes pleading. "You're too weak..." Itachi mused Leaning close to his ear, he whispers, "I told you not to meddle already! I do not wish to kill you, but you leave me no choice... you should leave, little brother. Now, while you still can."

' _W - why_...?' Sasuke thinks, gritting his teeth, ' _he's still stronger than me_...'

"NARUTO!" Kakashi shouted poofing out of nowhere, blocking in between Sasuke and Itachi. "Ah, if it isn't you, Kakashi. How are you, my old friend?" drawled Itachi; somewhat amused at the turn of events taking place. He let go of his little brother, who slumped against the wall and coughing. Kakashi narrowed his eyes, assessing the situation at hand. He had to protect Naruto at all costs, and even if he always put the Uchiha's life before him, that didn't matter right now. Hell would only break loose if the Nine Tails was extracted out of him.

He growled when his former partner just stood there bemusedly.

"And perhaps the Sharingan-user as well. We could do with another eye." Itachi added. Kisame nodded. "Sounds good to me."

"I won't let you…" Sasuke's whole body trembled with rage. "...HURT THEM!" He stands up and swings a shuriken at his brother, but the other Uchiha evaded it with ease. He then reappeared behind Naruto in a matter of seconds. "Foolish little brother. I'm not here for you. I'm here for the Nine Tails." Sasuke frowned, activating his Sharingan with his eye searching for anything he could counter with. If he copied the other guy's moves, then maybe…

Though he had no energy left, he charged after his brother, but was kicked and punched in the process. He coughed out blood, and was thrown aside unconscious. "SASUKE!" Naruto screamed, completely forgetting everything about his current predicament and shoving past them to reach for his fallen teammate. Crouching down beside him, he attempted to shake him awake roughly. "Leave, Sasuke!" He cries in tears, pressing his forehead to Sasuke's. Turning to the Akatsuki members, he frowned at them. How DARE they do this to him! The teme didn't deserve this. No one did.

"I - I'll go in his place. Take me instead."

"I see," Desire flickered in on the other Uchiha's eyes, as he licks his lips, "you have done the right thing, jinchuuriki of the Leaf. Let us go. Once you're knocked out, of course." Itachi kicked him away promptly, and the blonde was thrown back against the wooden floor. It cracked on impact, and the boy was then KOed in an instant. Meanwhile, Kakashi was fighting Kisame; who narrowly evaded his blade which almost absorbed him of his chakra. ' _This is just like the Uchiha Massacre, when I killed my whole clan...except now it's with a stranger_.' Itachi remarked, watching them fight into a full out brawl.

' _C'mon, Naruto. Wake up_!' Kakashi thinks wildly, pressing his kunai against the sword. It snapped in half, metal splaying around everywhere. His eyes widened, and was unprepared when a shadow fell from behind him. "Look into my eyes, Hatake." Itachi commanded, activating his genjutsu. Kakashi looked away at anything but him, knowing full well that doing so would render him useless. And that's the last thing he wanted, seeing how he was the only savior left to protect his prized pupils.

Dodging them narrowly, the Hatake sweeps around. Drawing his chakra from his surroundings, electricity crackled throughout his arm, causing his hair to fly in all sorts of directions. "Sorry, boys, but even I can see through your bull$h!t."

' _He's copying our moves_  …!' Kisame realizes, when the other man imitates him exactly on par. Kakashi sprints towards him, charging his chidori through the shark guy's chest, but then it clinks against that big sword of his. He stumbles back, wobbling, as the electricity backfired at himself. This left him in a state of paralysis; where he couldn't move for a few seconds. He watched with wide eyes, as Sasuke was struggling to fight against his brother but was overpowered in an instant when couldn't even deal fatal damage. He had fallen unconscious halfway through, and Naruto was already in a state of sleep, so there was nothing he could do to defend himself. After the feeling of shock went away, the Hatake stood back up shakily.

" _Hoo hoo hoo hoo_! You must be Kakashi, eh?" Kisame cackles with glee, "Never seen anythin' like THAT before! Mind telling me about that special technique of yours?"

"No thanks," Kakashi grumbled, trying to think through a strategy. After all, the chidori usually never failed, so... _how he'd block it so easily? Were the Akatsuki just way too advanced for some jounin level like him?_

One Jounin Against Two, it was unlikely he'd live, but if he had to…

...He'd sacrifice himself for their lives, instead.

"Aww, such a shame, really," Kisame replied, grinning toothily. "What a pity. You have so much potential with the Akatsuki; I mean, let's face it, you don't need Konoha anyway. This whole damn village is terrible to even us outsiders, but with us...there's just so much more.  _Imagine_! A just, perfect world where there is no cycle of hatred; no war amongst the shinobi. And once Madara resurfaces with the Ten-Tails, there'll be no stopping us. All we need," He nodded his head at the sleeping Naruto, "are all of the jinchuuriki. A simple price to pay, is it not?"

The Sharingan-user, in response, flung a kunai at him. The shark guy caught it with two fingers. "Heh, this'd be a whole lot easier if you'd just stop fighting against us. You're strong, but not strong enough against the Akatsuki, ya know." The shark-guy switches tactics mid battle and slams his sword against Kakashi's body with enough brute strength to send him crashing to the floor. The Samehada's blade was crushing against him, even as Kakashi had his hands clinging onto the edges and trying to push it away but to no use. As this back and forth continued, Itachi had snuck up from in front of Kakashi. The jounin's eyes widened with horror once the red eyes flashed to his helpless body. He tried to snap his eyes shut, but the power of his Mangekyou Sharingan was too great, even for him. With Kisame restraining him, he eventually couldn't hold it in any longer. He looked up at him and his eyes stared deep into the Sharingan. And soon fell asleep against his will.

* * *

"Let's go before the ANBU and ROOT show up," Kisame suggests, looking around for any signs of the Leaf ninja in sight. "And if they do...I'll cut them off with my big ass sword."

"Agreed." Itachi nodded at the other Akatsuki member, holding both the bodies of Kakashi and Naruto. They were both unconscious; sound asleep on the backsides. As they jump out of the Uchiha household and through the forest's treetops, the shark guy can't help but notice his comrade's wounds. "Your eye...it's bleeding." Kisame points it out with a curt nod. "I'll be alright, Kisame," Itachi scolded, wiping it away with the edge of his sleeve. "It happens whenever I strain the use of the Sharingan. It's not uncommon for an Uchiha to lose their eyesight completely from overuse, and I will become blind, make no mistake. We got what we wanted. Now we can leave in peace."

"What about that brother of yours…? I thought you were the only one left." Hoshigaki questions, springing chakra into his feet as they leaped branch to branch. "I'll let him live for the time being. Until then, his village is off limits." Itachi scolds monotonously, saving face. Truthfully, he knew he would die from his illness in the end and that to save his brother he would one day have Sasuke kill him. Of course, the Akatsuki shouldn't know that. "For now, we cannot kill him. Do you understand? The only one who can kill him is me." Though it was all game, Itachi wouldn't truly want to kill his sibling. Sasuke would be the one avenging the Uchiha by ending the martyr's life. "If ya say so. Hey, after this can we," His blue cheeks turned a shade of red, "chill tonight? We haven't had quality time together in forever! It's killin' me, y'know!"

"Knock it off, you fool…" Itachi sighs, "we'll be there shortly…"

' _You're no fun_  …' Kisame thinks, pouting, grumbling to himself about silly ol' Itachi.

* * *

Hours later, Naruto awoke to the dark outside of a campground. It was pitch black; the only source of light was from the fire nearby which crackled every now and then against the slight breeze of summer. Even then, the moon nor the stars shone in the sky. The only void filling in on the white noise was one of the crickets chirping nearby.

Groggily, he looks around with half-lidded eyes and finds himself tied up by a pole alongside the limp body of Kakashi. His senses awaken immediately; jolting back into action. ' _What the hell...wasn't I just with Sasuke? We were talking about leaving the village together, huh? Well, technically I just did_ ….'

"H - Hey, Kakashi-sensei! Wake up!" He snaps, in an attempt of shaking him vigorously. The black eyes behind the mask slowly blink open, and then widen considerably. Alarmed, he stares at Naruto through the pitch dark blackness."Huh... _Naruto_! Where are we?" He whirled around on him; only seeing the outlines of his body. "That's what I'm wondering, too…." Naruto murmured, downcast. "Jeez, it's so dark in here...I could try using Kurama's power to light this place up, but I don't wanna use it too much."

" _NO_!" Kakashi shouted, remembering Hiruzen Sarutobi's last words to him. "No...the hokage wouldn't want you using your Nine-Tails if you can help it..."

"Ok, well, you got any better ideas?" Naruto asked, squirming against the ropes, but to no avail. "I'd use my chidori if I could, but not when we're tangled up like this." Kakashi adds on, with a frown. Even to himself, he can't fathom the possibilities; they were endless. What felt uncomfortable was the clothes he was wearing. In fact, looking down...he saw that his clothes were stripped off. "W - Wait…" Naruto squints at his sensei with red eyes and screams. "What's goin' on?" He was looking down at his robes, as well. "I..." Kakashi growled, looking around their whereabouts. "I don't know either... Try to recall what happened before we left."

"All I remember is the Akatsuki, and Sasuke…!" He trailed off, thinking about the teme and where he was right now. And there was something else, too...he felt a few presences nearby. Kakashi's eyes widened with realization, the truth crashing him like a truck. His calm composure fluctuated. "Damn, damn, DAMN! They're going to extract the Nine Tails out of you…This is bad, this is REALLY bad…" Normally Kakashi was cool, but now was not the time to crack jokes about women and carry out his job with chill. ' _What do I do, now? If I had known they were coming, I would've prepared with hundreds of ninja...these rogues could do anything to Naruto, and, as a Jounin, I can NOT allow that to happen_!'

"Nn, they're awake." A blonde with black robes and red clouds all over it says. His hair is tied in all sort of gravity-defying ways. What really strikes odd is that there are mouths on his hands. There are also a group of people beside him around a campfire, cooking s'mores. "There are senbon traps around us, nn, so if you try to leave, or if anyone tries to save you...they'll die." He adds in with a cruel laugh. "Sucks to be you, you demon!"

"Tobi says he's right! Tee he!" A man with an orange mask adds in, stepping forward to eye the duo. "We're always secure about everything we do! We're the Akatsuki, after all. They don't call us all that for nothing!" He singsongs. Something about that mask ticked Kakashi off. It felt like he'd seen that mask somewhere before…

"Well, since now you're with the Akatsuki, we can do whatever we want with you." Without even thinking, Kakashi tore off the orange mask from around his ropes. And behind it was a painfully familiar face. After all of this time..."O...bito…" He murmurs; disbelieving the fact that his best friend had, somehow, survived and was right here in the flesh. The Uchiha looked away, ashamed. He hadn't expected to reveal himself so soon, but…"Bakashi." Hatake glared, torn between hugging the guy or punching him in the face. Too bad he was tied up like this and couldn't do anything.

"I don't know how the hell you're alive, but...why are you with the Akatsuki?"

"Sorry. I'm under strict obligations not to tell you about our organization." Obito's stared pointedly at their hand cuffs. "These are chakra bounds. They drain you of your chakra until you're depleted of it and die. Only, it's altered just a little so that you…" He looked at Naruto, "have enough energy to live. We're not letting you starve, but when the time comes you will sleep."

' _That's reassuring_ ,' Kakashi added to himself quietly. "W - what the hell? Who is this guy? And why do you know him?" Naruto asked, looking between them, confused. "I could ask you the same thing." Kakashi countered. "I don't know this man, not anymore." Sensei seemed dissappointed, if anything. Obito sighed, knowing full well that that was to be expected. _Who could accept a traitor like him?_  He had left Kakashi and the Leaf, losing sight of himself along the way. This blonde, though, seemed to be the part of himself he had missed. When he could simply mess around with Kakashi and Rin Nohara. But, as a criminally acclaimed member, he had treat the hostages as guests. Despite feeling the guilt and regret weighing down at him at every possible moment. "...You see,  _that_  is one of the alterations. Our men haven't had a slave in quite awhile, and a shinobi, no less. Aside from the villagers, there really is nothing for us out there…"

Obito grinned wickedly. "Ah, yes, I agree," Kisame smirked, smiling toothily. Emerging from the crowd, he pointed a sharp claw at them. "Once we have our way with you, leader will be pleased." Naruto shivers, unable to hold back a shout.

" **WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU PERVERTED FISH FRY**!" He screams; writhing about tied up in the rope. This reminded him of after the bell test, when Team Seven left him like this. Only, this was a slight bit different, because it was with criminals, not his team. " _Naruto_! Calm down, I'm sure we can work out a plan." Kakashi said as the voice of reason. "Oh, now you're on, big boy. Call me a fishie one more time, and it'll be more than that closet perv of of Jounin that'll be dyin'." The shark guy challenged. "I'll have you know that this  _hentai_ is written by the best of the best," Kakashi says, holding the  _Icha Icha Paradise Vol. 2_  in his hand. "By a legendary sannin. You should read it some time. It's highly erotic."

"Dude, that's porn, nn." The blonde, Deidara, butts in on the conversation, unimpressed. The redhead, Sasori, looks between them stoically. "Touche." Kakashi said with closed upward eyes. "let's lewd the lolis together, men!" Kakashi declared as a decree. Naruto was watching them flabbergasted. ' _AAA! This is only something pervy men say! Oh, Sakura-chan would sure kill me if I talked about her nonexistent boobies_  …' A hush fell over the Akatsuki members once an Uchiha strolls over to them slowly. He had his arms crossed, as he looked at the other members with disapproval. "That's enough, both of you. We're on a mission, remember?" Itachi reminds them with a face palm. Turning to face the object of his little brother's obsession, his eyes softened. "Since you're not an adult yet, we have to wait a few years or so until you're adept to extract the demon out of you. Otherwise, you will die halfway through the process which will be an inconvenience for us all. And since you contain the Kyuubi, out of all the other tailed beasts, this is the only option for you to live, Naruto. Even though it is within my duties to single-handedly capture you, I could never kill you." He smiled at him and stroked the hair out of his eyes and then went to face the others. ' _The Uzumaki clan sure is something_...'

Looking to his men, he shouted, "All of you, stop messing around. Pein will not be happy to hear about you . We will stay here for three years. Make sure to plan out a safe route to our hideout and to also find our food rations. We must strategize a few checkpoints along the way on the off chance that we are caught. "

' _Sleep? For three years? Isn't that a bit...excessive_?' Kakashi thinks, looking between all the other members in the darkness. The fire crackled against the wood in the distance. "That's why I'm going to put you under a  _genjutsu_." Itachi states, as if reading his mind. "Sweet dreams…"

"KAKASHI-SENSEI! What're we gonna do?" Naruto asked, on the verge of freaking out. They were out the middle of nowhere. There were no villagers to save them, no ANBU or ROOT around to stop the Akatsuki, and especially no Team Seven. "I do not know, Naruto." Kakashi mutters, struggling against their bonds. "Frankly, Konoha will realize eventually that we're missing. A genin and a jounin is a lot to lose overnight. They'll think of something, I'm sure."

The blonde was quiet for a few seconds, deeply worrying the jounin. Looking up, Kakashi sensed a lot of sadness in his aura. "You know...all I've ever wanted to do in my life was to be acknowledged by the village, yanno? I worked so hard, each and every day. Studying 'til I couldn't sleep! Training until it hurt! And even becoming stronger, and smiling each and every day, hoping I'd make a friend. Pushing myself so that one day I can become the hokage. Maybe we can't escape, but...I don't wanna be tossed aside like trash as if I don't even matter! I'm not a nobody, and I'm gonna prove myself to somebody someday! Believe it!"

' _...Naruto. I've done wrong as a sensei, haven't I? I only focused on training Sasuke, and I've always left you out of the picture. Leaving you out, just like Obito...No words can truly say how sorry I am._ ' He thinks, looking down at himself in shame. ' _I haven't exactly been a good sensei, have I? There's still a lot I have to learn_...'

' _If only we had the Nine-Tails Power_  …' Kakashi thinks to himself, ' _but then the seal would be released...and no one wants that to happen. It could not only destroy the Akatsuki, but also the whole world if he so wanted. Is that a risk sensei's son is ready to take_?'

"I'm just saying 'cuz I don't know if we're gonna live after this. They'll extract Kurama outta me and I'll probably die…" Naruto says softly. "I guess it's OK if I did...but not without the teme I'm not." He should've known. He and Sakura had been too busy trying to figure about the Sharingan Moon that he had completely forgotten that the two were actually bonding together. ' _Those two missed out on the mission, didn't they? Then again, so did I. And then sensei's son slept over at Sasuke's house. Did those two grow closer to each other while we were gone_?' Seeing the blonde sitting beside him, he couldn't help but think that. Even in this form, he could feel Naruto's desire to stay with him, and it was growing increasingly clear everyday. Sensei hoped he was still there, when they went back...

"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I died as well." The jounin admitted after a moment or two. "I've suffered for a long time, and the ones I love are already dead…" Kakashi could feel Sensei, Rin, and Obito calling out to him. All three of them, calling him out to the light. "I've fulfilled my purpose, but there's still a lot left unfinished. Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but since it's all over, you have every right to know. Your father...is a lot like you, you know." He says softly, turning his head to Naruto's, feeling drowsy to the effects of the Sharingan Moon. "I'm sure...he's proud to have a son like you, Naruto..."

**XXX**

_"This really hurts, you know!"_

_"K - Kushina?" Minato asked, the medical nin aiding her in helping get the child out of her body._ _"I...feel sick," Kushina grasped his hand, groaning in pain._ _"Fourth! Keep an eye out on the seal!" One of them shouted, lifting up the blanket over her stomach where the seal was activated on full display for all of them to see._ _The redhead was pushing Naruto out, writhing in pain. Minato nodded, placing his hands over her stomach, where Kurama was wrapped in chains internally. It roared inside, and her husband saw this, taken aback._

 _'I can't let it loose!' Minato eyes the Kyuubi as it tries to wriggle itself free._ _"Hang in there, Kushina! Naruto, hurry up!" He yells, panicked._ _"You're almost there, milady! The head is already out."_

_But the Kyuubi was fierce._

_Kushina was panting, as Naruto was screaming and free from the confines of her stomach._ _Tears trailed down her cheek, and she sobs, relieved. Looking at him through glassy eyes, her cheeks dimple._ _"He really takes after you, doesn't he?" She whispers tiredly with bags under her eyes, eyes gazing into the crying baby._ _'I'm not...going to make it...' she thinks sadly, her breathing feeling heavy and slowing gradually. 'Dattebayo...are you proud of me, mom? Dad? I'm a mother, now.'_

 _"You did it," The hokage stares in awe as he just witnessed his wife give birth to the blonde. "I'm a father, now!" He cheered, fanning his chest in excitement._ _"Minato..." Her eyes widen at him before they soften considerably. "I'm glad..."_

_"Thank you," Her husband kisses her on the cheek, with saliva oozing out of his mouth. He looked shaken, and slightly flustered. "We're parents, now. Can you believe it?" Nuzzling her face, she chuckles and laughs weakly. Not feeling as they cut the umbilical cord and the dizziness of losing so much blood. But, she was happy. He was happy. They were finally a family!_

_"Naruto!" The Fourth exclaims, opening awaiting arms for his baby. But, the women shoo him away._ _"He needs to see his mother first," one of the woman carrying Naruto huffs. "B - but..." He sweatdrops, but let it slide as their child was handed over the Namikaze._

_Cradling the child to her chest, Kushina smiles._

**XXX**

Naruto falls asleep, and licks the small remainder of sauce on his lips. It tasted sweet, just like Sasuke.


	18. Mangekyou Sharingan

**XV||.**

**WARNING:** _The following contains a graphic scene including gore! Not a lot to be a concern, but unsuitable for children. Read with caution. If that disturbs you, please do NOT read._

_Thanks! :)_

* * *

"Sa...kura…" Sasuke gasped; his eyes hazy when they focused on Sakura holding onto a lit candle. She was holding onto him, sobbing into his chest. He moved to stand up and help her, but jolted when he felt a wave of pain wash over him. "Don't move!" She snapped, her hands alighting with green chakra. "Here, let me heal your wounds…" Seeing as how her chakra alone would do nothing to fully cover the injury, she opted for another trick in the book.

"This is going to hurt a bit. " He remained silent, as she brought out a sewing needle and stitched the cut together. It hurt like hell, but he'd suffer far worse than just a cut. He blinked again, and saw that it was dark out. The shadows covered the moon entirely."Where's Kakashi? And Naruto?" He couldn't help but question, knowing that something had happened to them. But his mind was still fuzzy on what it could possibly be, still having a funny feeling that smething was wrong. "I don't know. I haven't seen them. I'm just happy that you're OK, Sasuke-kun." She soothed, hands splayed on his chest. Her fingers circled his chest and she blushed. "I knew something would happen. You were acting suspicious after training with Kakashi-Sensei. That's why I checked the village gate everyday, so that if I saw you I could try to stop you."

' _Hmph, I suppose she is smart, after all_.' Slowly, his mind caught up with his body and he remembered. He shoved her off of him and stood up, shadows covering half his face. "...Itachi did it." The fool! He was in his grasp, now. "Huh?" ' _Itachi_? _Who's that? Could it be...that Itachi is his big brother_?' Sakura thinks, confused. "It's OK, Sasuke-kun! I'm here for you," She says, wrapping her arms around him lovingly. "Don't. Do that.  _Again_." He said, scooting away from her. She nodded; sadly looking at the one she loved with all her heart. "Here, let me help you." She cooes, just like her mother used to do whenever she was sad. "...Thank you, Sakura." Sasuke states blankly. Her body froze like ice. He stands up and starts walking out the door of his apartment. "I'm leaving the village."

Her eyes widened with horror.

"W - what are you saying? Do you really want to be alone again?" She cried, as Sasuke turned his back on her. He stilled for a second, torn between what to do. "I...I never knew what it was like to be lonely, never knew what it was like to have no parents; to have no family." She sniffled, eyes filling with tears. "I hate it when you're sitting all by yourself. You said so yourself; it hurt." Sasuke bit his lower lip, looking down and clenching his fist. A quiet laugh echoes out of his lips. And then erupts into full out laughter. Doubling over, he cackles madly. Sakura is shocked, never seen him so expressive and so scary all at the same time. "Hn, hn, hn, hn! AHA HA HAHA! Aha haha! Says you…you never understood what it's like. All I feel now is hatred. You...are nothing compared to this vengeance of mine…"

"From here on out, I'm on my own now. Nothing you can say will stop me." He slipped a book bag full of all the supplies he'd need to seek out Danzo, his guide from here on out. He walks outside in the dark with the Haruno following soon after. Not caring for anything else at the moment, she tore off after him. Sakura eyes widened, and she couldn't hold back her feelings anymore. Her brow furrowed, and her small form was shaking in the rain. "I...I love you, Sasuke! With all of my heart!" She admitted; tears trickling down her heart-shaped face. "Naruto likes you, too. And Kakashi-sensei is like a father, so please…"

"I've already lost everything before!" Sasuke snarled, looking at her with narrowed eyes, "That's what I used to think. That if I could protect those dear to me, they would never die. And both of them are already gone because of my carelessness. That's why I'm going to sever those ties between us. And I don't care anymore about our home. You're as good as dead to me."

"W - why?" She choked, as he continued walking off away from the village. She wouldn't let him go just yet. "I won't let you leave, Sasuke-kun." Sakura shouts, pulling out a kunai from her pouch. "And so what?" laughed Sasuke. "You really think you can beat me on prowess alone? I already lost my one and only ...now I can finally be all alone! That's what I want; to be in this darkness forever! You never understood, Sakura. And you never will. You're just like all the other villagers.  _And now that the full moon is here_ ," His blood eye looked at the Sharingan moon, and it automatically activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. "I'll show you my true power, ten timesfold!" An intense, red aura surrounded him. "SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura screams, her whole body shaking. ' _I'm smart, right! Think of a strategy, anything_!' she thinks wildly. " _SAKURA_!" A familiar voice calls out. She spins around; hope flaring in her chest. Finally,  _someone to stop Sasuke once and for all_! Iruka had ran towards them, looking at the situation between Sasuke and Sakura in confusion before breaking into action himself.

"What a letdown. A chuunin and a genin." Sasuke says darkly. "Let's see who dies first."

He easily knocked Haruno aside, and attacked his former sensei head on. The chuunin responded by using self-defense; trying to shove him away from Sakura. "Run, SAKURA!" He called, "Go get the hokage...call help…!" he commanded, narrowly dodging hundreds of kunai flinging at him. It hit the ground instead. The cherry blossom shook her head. "I can't leave you alone! We work together!" She snaps, but didn't even feel strong enough to even stop Sasuke's murderous mode. " **Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu**!" Sasuke activated his trademark jutsu, firing fireballs from his mouth. Iruka avoided them, but only barely. ' _Why_?' Sakura asked herself in tears. ' _Why am I so weak…? I want to be strong! Strong enough to stop Sasuke! I can't allow him to leave the village like this_!' Her heart wrenched, when a shuriken stabbed Iruka through the chest. The chuunin doubled over in pain. Revenge like none other before surged within her, as green chakra surrounded her body. Crouching down from beside him, her hands hovered over his chest, she healed him with all the energy that she had left. The life in his eyes flickered for a moment, but then died as soon as it came. ' _C'mon, c'mon_!' She pleaded internally, tears in her eyes. Sasuke smirked, kicking his dying body with a twisted smile. Blood leaked out of his eye as he covered one side of his face.

"Is that all you got?" Sasuke mocked, with a condescending smile. "For someone who's supposedly 'strong' you sure are a weakling." The Uchiha advanced to the Haruno, eyeing her like prey; his killing intent hitting over the top. She was shiverring madly; weak and defenseless. "Maybe if you hadn't healed me, this wouldn't have happened…" He reminded her, frowning down at her.

"What happened to you being just some fangirl of mine? You think you're all that, huh? Who the hell do you think you are?" He snapped, pulling out more kunai to throw. He leaped into the air with  _taijutsu_ , and spiralled down at her. She screamed and sprung chakra to her feet, leaping back with the dying body in her hands. Sakura narrowed her green eyes, and forced all of her energy to saving Iruka's life. But, it was almost impossible when Sasuke was trying to cut her off at every chance he got. "That's what I used to think," she says, her green eyes flashing with fury. "but, I've changed! That baka means so much to me, now. I'm not the same person I used to be." Thunder crackled in the background and, soon enough, rain poured down, soaking them all wet. They stood there in the rain, the tension gratifying as Sakura realized she would have to knock some sense into the Uchiha.

"I don't believe you," Sasuke scoffed, "you're still just useless to me."

She grunted; a green aura surrounding her body completely. Merging with her Inner Self; her hair flew upwards and she felt power flowing into her fist. She punched him in the stomach with such force, he was sent flying across the grounds. He stood up shakily, glaring daggers at her. She smirked, crossing her arms. "I am a kunoichi, now. And I CANNOT let you leave like this, Sasuke-kun. That's why I'm trying to stop you."

"I had no reason to kill you before, because I wasn't like my brother, but now...I'll kill you, just like the others!" His eyes flashed red, and in a blink of an eye, he was right in front of her before she could even react. " **MANGEKYOU SHARINGAN**!" He shouted, and soon her knees gave way and she crumpled to the grass. Her eyelids grew gradually heavier and she soon slept off to slumber land against the corpse of her former sensei.

**XXX**

_Sakura woke up to her village of Konoha. The streets were bare, and the sky was stark red from the sunlight . Wondering how she wound up here, when she was just fighting Sasuke, she walks around curiously like a kid in a candy store. Everything seemed to be in inverse colors, and it was oddly dark._

_"Hellooooo?" She calls out, looking for any signs of anybody. But, nay. Everything was barren. She stops once she sees a familiar face pass by. "Hey, Ino, I-!" A snake sword slices through her neck. The Yamanaka is beheaded. The blonde's head falls face-first on the walkway with a cough of blood. Sakura, near delirious, holds the bloody head in her hands and screams, dropping it in an instant._

_"Sasuke-kun, you…!"_

_"This is what happens to those who defy me, Sakura." Sasuke says monotonously. "I will destroy the village, for what they have done to me and my precious person. And someday, I will become the hokage. Following my own path. Not Itachi's. Not Naruto's. Mine." His sword crackles with electricity, and the once sunny day clouds over with dark clouds._ _'Naruto…' Sakura thinks with wide eyes; trembling with terror. "See your friends over here? I'll kill them, too. Starting with all of the other teams." Rock Lee, Neji, TenTen, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Gaara, Temari, Kankuro..._

 _The snake sword cuts them all in two, and he chidoris the others through their chest. They all die one by one, like fallen domino pieces. And Sakura shakes her head, not believing what she's seeing right now._ _"NO!" Traumatized, Sakura looks at him with pleading eyes, "Please, don't! Don't kill them, please… I-I'll do anything for you, just don't do it!" She cries into his chest, expecting some sort of empathy. Surely this wasn't what he was, right?_

 _"Are you so selfish, that you don't even care if she died for you? You only liked the thought of us two together!" Sasuke taunted. An insane smile stretches across Sasuke's face. He's holding onto Ino's ponytail and her eyes are like a dead goldfish._ _And Sakura retches. Throwing up at the side of the road, she can't hold it in anymore. Her face scrunches up in pain, and she can't bear to look at the scene of all her friends dying by the hand of who she thought of as a "friend"._ _"And what about her?" Sasuke side glances at Karin, who appears out of thin air. She is naked, standing as still as a statue. Her eyes are blank as they stare ahead, and Sakura can't even face her without feeling regret. Regret that she couldn't save her. Regret that she wasn't strong enough to protect her friends. Regret that she can't save Sasuke-kun from the darkness."Would you like to see her die, too, just like the rest of them. How do you think it feels? To lose all the people you love more than anything?!"_

 _"I - it hurts…" she sobs, "I hate it, I hate it, Sasuke-kun!" She wailed, in tears. "I...I understand you, now! So, stop this, please!"_ _In response, Sasuke unsheathes his Kusanagi._ _"SASUKE!" Her voice cracks, and she can't scream anymore. Her voice cracks through the thick air._ _Her best friend is stabbed through the chest. Along with her mother and father, who are dismembered in a matter of seconds. Sakura can't contain her horror anymore. Hands in her hair, her eyes widen in shock._ _"The higher you fly," he says, sheathing his sword into it's holder around his purple robe. "The harder you fall."_ _Feeling broken beyond repair, she's left on the ground along with Iruka's dead body. And she can't even move. Move to save him, move to stop her friend._

_Sasuke leaves her as easily as that, and the clouds shadow the once Sharingan Moon._

**XXX**

She sleeps, lost in thoughts and all alone.


	19. Three Years Later

**X|X.**

* * *

Kakashi felt waves of blinding red wash past him. The warm colors overpowering his senses completely; the illusions of Rin, Minato-sensei, and Obito appearing right before his eyes. The sight itself was painful enough to look at, reminding the young man of times of old. Falling into the hands of the Uchiha was tempting, the gift far more than anything money could ever pay for.

After all, he had his family back again. A blonde man who resembled his late father maybe not physically, but they both had too good of a heart. A brash boy who was like a little brother in a lot of ways. From his flat out obnoxious silliness and also his will to become even stronger than Kakashi himself. And perhaps...even a friend.

As for Rin...she was so sweet, bold, and too kind for her own good. More than anyone else had ever been in his lonely life. If anything, she of all people didn't deserve all of these hardships of pain and suffering. But alas, she chose this road of life. If the shinobi world wasn't so cruel, so heartless, then maybe -  _just mayb_ e - her life could've been spared. He sighed, it would do him no good to feel any more pain. His life was already full of it; what with his allies dying left and right. It was best not to grow too attached to others, otherwise it would only hurt him in the end.

He wouldn't let his sensei's son die. Not now, at least.

And because of that miniscule fact...he couldn't succumb to the Genjutsu just yet. Under his mask, he pulled out his Sharingan eye. Only then did the redness dissipate; his eyes clearing the vision of darkness like a light to the dark. At the Akatsuki camp, all of the members there looked aghast at the display of overwhelming power unleashed upon them. Itachi stared down at him with wide eyes. ' _How...can it be possible? He deflected my Genjutsu with his Mangekyou Sharingan_...'

' _I underestimated the Hatake yet again_.' Itachi admitted to himself.  _But what what would happen now?_  It's not like he could kill him right here, right now. "Well done, Sharingan-user." He confessed, circling around him like a predator to it's prey. "You saw through my Genjutsu so easily. A small feat almost unheard of; I'm impressed." Kakashi eyes his surroundings, stunned. He was no longer tied up at the pole with Naruto...this was his chance of freedom. In fact, now that he saw it clearly, a fire shield was wrapped all around him. Light emitted from whatever that shell was; alarming both Kakashi and the members to an extent. The jounin figured the Akatsuki had something to do with this..

When Kakashi blinked up at the Uchiha, Itachi saw a fire flicker in his eyes.

"Let go of Naruto, Itachi! You are already under high scrutiny of Konoha. Once they save him, you will stay away." The jounin spat out like acid. "Must I repeat myself once again?" The Uchiha yawned. "He is a valuable Nine Tails...one of the Jinchuuriki we need for the plans of the Akatsuki. He is vital to our forces. As for you?" Itachi placed his foot on Kakashi's arm with the force that no human could endure. Then again, Kakashi was no simple villager; he was a shinobi.

His arm had twisted, and a searing white pain flashed through his eyes. " _Unngh_!" Kakashi gritted his teeth painfully. With superhuman speed, Itachi had kicked him in the crotch, to which he doubled over on the ground. It was then that Itachi had his hands on his throats, practically choking him. The missing nin's eyes were blank and glassy, as if he had done this a thousand times before. Somehow, Kakashi did not doubt it for a second. "We have no use for you...though I'm sure once we kill you we will want the eyes for the taking." A glint shimmered in the Uchiha's black eyes. Stepping away, he had turned to gaze at the campfire beside them. "Burning you alive like those mythical stories of witches' black magic dying with them...fitting, isn't it? That's your fate."

The jounin feared for his safety, but only for a moment. Naruto's life mattered much more.

' _They only see him as an object of destruction_!' Kakashi thought, power building up inside of him. He could feel his chakra at it's climax, ready to strike at any given moment. ' _It's like he's not even human in their eyes_.' Once he released the pressure, a force field of electricity burst throughout the camp. Everyone (excluding Naruto) were put under a paralysis.

' _I - I can't believe it_!' Kakashi's hands were shaking as he stood up from the remains of the campout. Their bodies were electrocuting; only fatal if they weren't as powerful as him. Hatake cursed himself for not killing them sooner, but this would do for now. ' _I knocked them out, but not for too long_...' He faced his student with concern, crouching down close to him. ' _Naruto, I'll come back for you, with all of Konoha behind me. I swear to you_!' He reached out a hand to brush a stray strand of blonde hair. ' _Good luck_...' Kakashi planted a kiss on the blonde's forehead and left in a flurry of speed.

* * *

**XXX**

_"Show it to me," the hokage demanded one night._

_Naruto reluctantly rolled up his sleeve to show the many cuts and scars along his wrist. If possible, Hiruzen's frown deepened. The smoking pipe went forgotten. "Who hurt you again?" he asked carefully, with barely suppressed emotion._

_"T - the villagers. They hate me, remember?" Naruto says, his voice trembling slightly. His eyes were downcast, looking down at his sandals as they continued their stroll. The boy was holding his hand as they were walking through the streets of the Village Hidden In The Leaves. And he was only five. Five years of age and being beaten because of what he was. Simply unjust. "A - and no one wants me at the orphanage. No m - mama, no p - papa."_

_"You are strong, my boy," Hiruzen says evenly, "you will live. Someday, the storms will subside. By then, you'll be a formidable shinobi." Smiling softly, he ruffled his hair playfully. The blonde pouted cutely, and blushed. "Y - you really think so?"_

_"I know so," Hiruzen says, "only time will tell."_

_"Now, how about that bowl of ramen you wanted?" the hokage asked, as they neared the Ichiraku restaurant. Naruto's smile widened and his eyes lit up at the mention of his favorite food."Ooo! Oh, yeah! Buy me seconds!" Not being able to say no to those baby doll eyes, he passed the ryo to Ayame and Teuchi who both laughed full of smiles at the blonde._

**XXX**

Hiruzen sighed, looking outside the window of his office. The moon was still high up in the sky with foreboding clouds around it.

' _I hope he is alright, wherever he is_...' He thinks solemnly, hands grasped behind his back. ' _I imagine that boy is training long and hard for the Chunin Exams. He sure is something else_.'

He then turned to look inside his crystal ball, and saw - to his dismay - one of his jounin on the run. Kakashi Hatake was jumping branch to branch on treetops clad in Akatsuki robes for whatever reason. What disturbed him to no end was how he seemed to be in a chase. But from  _what_ , exactly? ' _What could he be up to this time_?' He asked himself curiously, eyes glued on the magical ball hungrily.

But then he disappeared in a  _POOF_! of smoke, leaving the hokage to his thoughts. Standing stock still, he felt a chill in the air, sending shivers down his spine. "Orochimaru," he replied calmly, without even turning around to see the subject in question.

"Old man." The snake sannin smirks, stabbing him from behind without warning.

"Nighty night~!"

* * *

"Sakura?  _Sakura_?" A voice called out at the dead of night. She remembered waking up abruptly from her dream, sensing a lot of chakra waves from outside. As a ninja, she could sense them a miles away. Feeling that much at this hour was why she decided to investigate in the first place. And apparently she wasn't the only one, oh no. Masses of people were murmuring in hushed voices on the streets. Some of them hustling in search parties with lanterns to find the source(s) of the commotion.

Ino pushed through the crowds of people dressed all in black. ' _What's the occasion_?' She thought to herself, her head looking around at all the people. She was about to take a turn to the main village area, but was blocked by a group of men. "Buzz off, kiddo." One of the ANBU shooed her away, but she stayed in place stubbornly. "Funeral is for ROOT and ANBU only. No shinobi or villagers allowed. Hokage's orders."

"H - Hey! What's going on?" She snapped angrily, teeth clenched. She tried to peek past their shoulders but they shoved her away. "Reports came in; Konoha called." They replied after a long-suffering sigh. "Our hokage died tonight. We're working on finding a replacement as we speak."

"What d'you mean he's...dead?" She asked, mouth agape. ' _No way...there's just no way_.' She shook her head, disbelieving it. "Supposedly, a few witnesses watched as Orochimaru-sama slit his throat from behind. His head was severed off completely, like a chicken with it's head cut off." Ino scrunched her face in disgust, sticking her tongue out. She did NOT need that mental image. ' _Would it be a far stretch to think that he wasn't alone? I mean, he did come from the Sound, didn't he_?' She placed a hand under her chin in contemplation, and widened her eyes once the truth had hit her. Of course! It was right under her nose this whole time!

' _Wait! Sakura mentioned some visitor from the Sound a few days back_.' She recalled, a girl with red hair and glasses popping into the forefront of her mind. ' _Don't tell me it was._..!'

**XXX**

_As Ino and Sakura were watering the plants in their greenhouse, the younger of the two removing her gardening gloves._ _"Hey, Ino? Mind if I tell you something?" Sakura asked out of the blue, eyes trained on the little droplets plopping off the plant's leaves. "Sure. Go ahead." The blonde says without a second thought. Whatever she had to say, she was all ears._

_"Maybe you don't know about this, but...I've heard from the Konoha gate ANBU that the hokage is letting in another foreigner outside of the village. We don't really know much about her...but she's supposedly a skilled sensory type. Anyway, I'm going to be her tour guide for the day! Isn't that amazing?" She squeaked excitedly, green eyes lighting up like a thousand lights; stunning her fellow kunoichi for a second._

_Ino blinked, her mind slowly digesting the information before feeling her boiling hot rage build up. 'Her? And another girl? No way! Doesn't she realize her best friend is right here.' Ino crossed her arms, and glaring at nothing in particular. "It's not that weird!" Sakura laughed it off, seeing the baffled look on the Yamanaka's face. "'Sides, it's just a visit. It's not like it's anything long lasting."_

_'Ugh, when has she ever been so wise?' The blonde asked to herself, mouth agape. 'It's almost like I'm talking to an elderly woman...Geez, that's the weirdest thing I've ever thought of!'_

_"Pfft...Whatever." Ino huffed. "Go flock off to some stranger for all I care. While you're off having fun, I'M going do cool things like practice my jutsus, thank you very much." Sensing the haughtiness in her best friend's voice, Sakura knew something was up._ _"Ino...are you jealous?" Haruno knew she had struck the jackpot when a flabbergasted expression overshadowed her friend's face. "Me? Jealous? Of course not, what do you expect?" Ino looks away with a 'hmph!'. "That's a stupid assumption to make. I don't care about you being with some... with some low life. Go have fun." The blonde waves a dismissive hand, looking away._

_"Well, she's going to come here whether you like it or not, Ino - Pig." Sakura says matter of factly. "Oh, but I do hope she'll get along with Naruto and Sasuke-kun...that's what I'm worried about."_

_"Of course she will, Miss Forehead!" Ino says with a smile gracing on her lips. "You're one of the best girls in the village. Next to me, of course." She propped an arm around Sakura casually, and smirked devilishly._ _"Oh, stop it, you pig!" What followed after was a fight of giggles, both of them laughing and calling it a night._

**XXX**

Ino sighed to herself. ' _I'll never forget that night, THAT's for sure. Not when she's like a sister to me_.'

' _Moreover, it just goes to show that this is all just a ploy_.' Of course. She should've known, from the moment she locked eyes with the stranger that she was just some spy. Ino facepalmed, when she realized this a little too late. "Ok, tell me where they are!" She shouted, opening her arms. The two men exchanged glances.

"Listen, little lady. Kids like you shouldn't be wandering around at this time of night. Especially when we are already on the search for the legendary third ninja himself."

" _No_!" She crossed her arms with an arrogant smirk. "Not if I can help it! I wanna know what's goin' on!" She walked up to them and jabbed a finger in their chest. A feat no small ninja could complete, but then again, she wasn't just some normal ninja. Activating her mind's powers, she saw into their minds by performing her clan's jutsu.

The two froze up.

"Look, maybe it doesn't matter to you, but my friend is with them. Trust me, I know!" She says honestly, her eyes downcast. "She means a lot to me...and I can't bear to see someone like her die. So... _please_..." She begged, her eyes closed, expecting to be rejected yet again. A moment passed and she chanced a look. "Oh, alright. Normally something like this isn't permitted, but...this is just an exception.  _But, just this once!_  Now, as long as you don't report us associating with you on duty. Just...whatever you do, don't get caught."

"Will do." Ino stepped past them and glanced a look back to them. "Thank you." She says with sincerity and leaving. As they watched her run from afar, they smiled serenely, seeing a little of themselves in her.

"That girl sure is somethin' else, eh, Arin?"

"Damn right."

* * *

"N - Neji..." Hinata squeaked in her sleep, sweating profusely from her spot. Sitting upright, she pants and shivers, awaking her cousin from beside her. Hands on her shoulders, he looks at her in concern. "What is wrong? Is it a nightmare again?" The Hyuga shakes her head. "No, not that. S - something doesn't feel right. It's  _scary_!" She yelped, sweat pouring down from her forehead. Neji's pale eyes glare down at her, but he knows she isn't lying. He tenses up once he feels an unusual amount of chakra in the atmosphere. Standing up, he hoists the small girl into his arms. "C'mon. I can feel it, too." They slide the paper doors and sneak out of the house before their elders wake up.

As he leaps off into the rooftops outside, he activates his  _Byakugan_  and sees up to five meters ahead of him. What unfolds before them is a strange sight. Taking a step back, he is unprepared to see as many people as he did. Hinata audibly gulps, her teeth chattering. "It's cold..." she hiccups into her sleeve, and sneezes. " _A-A-ACHOOOOO_!" She sniffles, voice nasally, "S-Sorry, Neji-san..."

"No, it's fine. Hinata-chan, stay with me here. I'm going to get to the bottom of this." He mumbles, landing softly in padded footsteps. Peering past the darkness, his eyes widen.

' _What is the meaning of this_?' Most of the blocks around the neighborhood are blocked off completely by ANBU or ROOT guards. Even so, there were a lot of villagers gathering in groups, chattering in low voices. He eavesdrops in on one of them, keeping a distance. "...Oh, yes, indeed. It is quite dangerous how the guards let slip of such a vile man. It's deeply disturbing..." One pregnant woman fans herself, skin ghostly pale. " _Shh_! Not so loud..." An elderly man shushes her, looking around worriedly. "You don't want the children to hear of this..."

"Well, we must devise a plan. This map alone isn't enough to track down Orochimaru, one of the most legendary ninjas of all time. He could be anywhere!" The strategist argues from the group, "Anyone got any ideas?"

"Our best course of action is to split up into factions," A veteran ANBU counters, "we can't let this man get away with the death of the hokage. We know he is somewhere within these perameters. Formation one, take to the south of the village. Formation two, to the north. I'll scout east and west in search of the missing children. If I don't return with them in one piece...assume the worst."

"Aye, aye," the captains of the squads saluted, marching off to separate directions.

Hinata tugged on Neji's sleeve lightly. "Neji-san, we should go..." She pleaded, looking into his eyes. "No, something is amiss." He looks away from her, stepping away from them before they caught sight of him and to gather his thoughts. Seeing two ANBU walking their way, he speaks up with his cousin in his arms.

" _You there_! What's going on here?" One of them looked disgruntled, and spat in his face, shoving him away with the good side of his spear. "Back off, Hyuga. We're currently on the lookout for Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and..." they paused, "... Uzumaki Naruto. Until the coast is clear, you will stay safe in your homes, got it? Report to us if you see them." They walked away in the opposite direction they had come, sending a glare their way.

Neji turned to Hinata, who was shaking like a leaf.

"N - Naruto-kun is... _missing_?!"

* * *

"I see you've come at last." Danzo says coolly, placing a china tea cup down carefully between the two of them. Steam wavers around the room, and the wooden boards creak under them. "Hmph." Sasuke stepped out of the shadows, sitting opposite of him. His cloak was tossed aside, clad in only his black outfit now to camouflage in with his surroundings. "I suppose you want something from me. You've come all this way from Konoha for something, correct?"

And he wasn't wrong. Sasuke did  _want_  something.

"I need to know the power to true strength." Seeing him raise a brow and sip his cup, he added in, "Kakashi only taught me about the basics...nothing more than that. Even then I couldn't bear it all by myself. I've left my own team, so...tell me. Please." Looking up at him imploringly, he was not expecting such a display of objection.

"I'm afraid I cannot, not when I see that there's something troubling you."

"You are  _lost_." He replied, seeing Sasuke's torn face. The boy perked up with wide eyes. Danzo chuckled. "I knew it... You still don't know whether or not to stay with your team. Believe me, I know."

"Despite that, you attacked one of your teammates and ultimately failed, leaving him to the hands of the enemy. Now, he's out there somewhere. Waiting for you."

" _How'd you know about that_...?" Sasuke asked, aghast. Danzo simply nodded and continued his monologue.

"Now is not the time to learn the truth about your brother. And, when the time comes, you will save both him and Naruto from their fate. But, there are more pressing matters at hand. Such as you." Danzo turned to face him, peering into his eyes, as if seeing through his soul. The Uchiha cleared his throat, finding his voice again. "I wasn't strong enough against him," Sasuke argued bitterly, "It was like everything I had trained to become stronger was all for nothing. My whole life I waited for that moment...to finally avenge my family. Naruto was still kidnapped with or without me... I was useless yet again." He gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes. "I need guidance, Danzo." He stressed. To any normal person, he would've seemed like an emotional brat. But, even the old man could see the underlying tones of sadness. The Uchiha was truly broken without his ray of sunshine. For that, he reconsidered his choices.

"It is not in my place to tell you what or what not to do. But, know this. There is a cursed man out there in this world who has the key to ultimate power. With him, he carries the Sword of Kusanagi, a blade wielded only by the best of the best. Those who obtain it are said to carry the legendary strength of the sannin himself. Of course, it is a rumor, so I do not know if it's true. If you so wish, you can seek him out." Sasuke's eyes widened. He knew this man from his dream. The one who promised him power at a price. Seeing the look on the pretty boy's face, the older man knew he had struck a nerve.

"I suppose you know the tales of Orochimaru, then. He is one of the three legendary ninjas of his time. If you seek his power, then you must fall into darkness... In the process, you might lose your little hope in humanity and become a monster of your former self."

"I don't care.  _Where is he_?" Sasuke growled, desire hinting in his voice. The old man chuckled. "He is somewhere within the depths of the Sound. But... _are you sure about all this_? The path you walk on is of pain and loss; you're willing to sacrifice your loved ones in the process. Not only that, but yourself, as well."

"Whatever it takes," the brat says simply. "I've already gotten this far. What's one more thing?"

The Uchiha made to stand up and leave, but Danzo slapped him with the end of his cane. The Uchiha's back arched painfully. " _What was that for_?" Sasuke's snapped, eyes twitching angrily, a vein popping off his forehead. "Ah, ah, ah. Not yet." Danzo scolded. "...As I said. That is only  _if_  you seek power, but you will be all alone. In that loneliness, you will lose yourself. The only thing that would matter to you was the death of Itachi Uchiha by your hand."

"Your brother wouldn't want you to do this," Danzo warned, and something in his voice was sincere. "What would he want me to do, then? Kill the dobe for his own pleasure?"

"Alas, that is a tale for another time...Don't go into this blindly," The old man cautioned, wagging a finger as if scolding a child. The Uchiha brat nodded, and then turned to face the window. " _Naruto_..." Sasuke murmured, looking outside at the rain, the only ambience filling the quietness of the room.

"What about him?" Danzo raised a questioning eyebrow at the boy. "The Akatsuki has him..." Sasuke clenched his hand into fists. "I know Orochimaru is part of the Akatsuki, so it's only a matter of time before I join him. And I will be with them from here on out, so... _how will I save him all by myself_? I'd just look like a traitor in their eyes."

"You won't be saving him if you capture the tailed beasts!" Danzo laughed. "Unless you want him to die, dear boy?"

A heavy silence set between them.

"I'm going." The black-haired boy says suddenly, leaving the hut. With one last look, he says, "I had my fair share of wisdom, thanks."

"This is a map of where you need to go. Stay out of sight. Good luck." Danzo stands up and hands an old and worn parchment over to him. Watching the boy leave, the old man sighs to himself. ' _What a pity_...' Danzo unravelled his arm wraps so that his Sharingan eyes opened. ' _Once you die, your eyes will be all mine_...'


	20. Comatose

**XX.**

* * *

"You've made it on time, I see."

"T - Tsunade-sama!" Ino babbled excitedly. "OH. MY. GODS. Ahh~! I - I just can't believe you're actually here!" She squealed, both hands on each side of her face. "Wow, I've always dreamed of seeing you in person! And right before my eyes, too!"

The blonde woman stood up with a small smile.

"I am indeed one of the three legendary ninjas. But introductions aside." Bringing out a clipboard, she clicked on her pen. "I believe you are a friend of hers, are you not?" Her head inclined to the subject at hand, who was currently resting on a hospital bed. A heart monitor was beeping beside her bed, counting her heart beats per second.

Ino nodded eagerly, heart fluttering in her chest.

"Heck yeah I am! To be completely honest with you, I'm not supposed to be here," Ino relented, "but, I couldn't resist. Gut instinct told me something was terribly wrong with Miss Forehead. And something's telling me she's not fine."

The medical nin nodded in affirmation.

"I see. We sensed something as well. As soon as we found her passed out in the rain, we knew... Sakura Haruno is under a coma. She will be sleeping for quite some time." She says, standing up to walk over to the subject in question, stroking her sweaty forehead with a wet rag. "For how long?" Ino asked, dread creeping up into her stomach. Tsunade frowned, brow furrowed in contemplation. "A year?  _Two_? It's hard to say...but she has suffered a concussion from the head directly. What has caused it is uncertain to me."

Ino nodded, her brain feeling numb. Anything would feel better than this. Her best friend could die...

**XXX**

_"Oh, come on! Say 'hi'!"_

_"H - hi," An eight year old Sakura says behind Ino's back shyly. But she couldn't bring it in herself to walk up to him and confess her feelings._ _"Eeep! There's no way I could ever say that to him. It's so embarrassing!" Sakura squeaks, hiding her face with her hands. "Aww, don't cry, Sakura." The blonde reassures, patting her on the back gently. "Just go for it, girl!"_

_"B - but..." Sakura stutters, her lower lip trembling. "I can't! What if he rejects me l - like all the other girls?"_

_"Trust me, he won't. You've had your eyes on him for quite awhile now, Miss Forehead. 'Sides, you're too nice for your own good. He'd be stupid to turn you down." Ino smirks, and, seeing the look on her best friend's face, burst out laughing._

_"I - I do not, Ino - Pig!" Her face blushed into a brilliant color of pink. "He's just cute, that's all." Haruno says defensively, but her eyes were still staring at the boy by the docks. "Someone's got themselves a crush, I'll say." The blonde punched her shoulder lightly with a condescending grin. "You really think so?" Sakura says in awe, her eyes lighting up like the fireworks in the sky. "Oh, I know so!" Ino cheers her on, "So, don't look so down in the dumps, OK?"_

_"I - if you say so, Ino - Pig." She says, trying to smile and wipes away her tears with a spare handkerchief. "There ya go," Ino shoves her forward with a smile. "Now go make mama proud, OK?"_

_"O - OK."_

_"I'm here for you if you need me, Miss Forehead. See ya!" Haruno waved at her and then almost stumbled as she made her way over to her crush._

_The blonde watched from a distance as her friend talked to the last of the Uchiha. Her smile slowly faded away. 'Geez, who am I kidding? I'm just a nobody...she'd never fall for me.'_

_"HEY THERE!" Sakura shouted, straining a smile as she greeted the apple of her eye._ _The white birds around them flocked off to the distance at the sound of her loud voice._ _"Hmph," Sasuke turned around and glared at the offending girl who had dared interrupted his peace and quiet. "What do you want?"_

_"I - I umm..." Now that she thought about it, she didn't really know. Oh, that's right! The answer was right in front of her eyes."I think I like you, Sas'ke-kun!" She chirped happily, "Do you love me, too?" His eyes stared at her for a second and then he stood up and walked away. "Goodbye."_

_"Wa - wait!" The pinkette called off after him, but even her stumpy little legs couldn't carry her as far as him. Out of breath, and panting, she doubles over and cries as he leaves her. Ino sees this, and places a hand over her heart._

_The blonde turned away, her cosmos dropped to the ground, forgotten._

**XXX**

Ino clenched her fist at the memory, trying not to cry. She had lived for this long! There's no way she can just die, not now. Slamming a fist into the wall, she looks up with teary eyes. "Miss Forehead's gonna live, though, right?"

" _Right_?!" She growled angrily. Tsunade exchanged a look with her apprentice and nodded. "She was knocked unconscious out so late at night. Lucky that Shizune and I were on our travels and saved her life on a whim." Tsunade gestured to a brunette holding onto a pig who had waved at Ino and the blonde kunoichi waved awkwardly back.

Stepping closer to the bed, the Yamanaka entwined her hands into the lifeless one.

"I love you." Ino placed her forehead against Sakura's with tears in her eyes. "Please, promise me you'll keep her safe." Ino pleaded, hands clasped together in front of her. "I will. You have my word." Tsunade affirms.

* * *

Kakashi stares at the lifeless remains of Iruka's cremated body.

He remembered when the medics told him that it was all over. His life, like the many before him, had died in battle.  _Pain_. Pain had filled his senses. He had blindingly checked every corner of his house, calling out his name, but no answer.

But, it was as they said. He had died.

The funeral was private, only him and a select few others came to pay their respects to the late man. The Hatake came there personally, wearing a black yukata and staring ahead with an epitome of emptiness. What once was happy now was just pure sadness and sorrow. Those stupid, but simple, days when he would just have fun with the dolphin and truly be himself. Not a jounin, not a former student of the late hokage, just him.  _Him_ , and nothing else. Those were the good days...but that had all passed.

He couldn't believe it, even now. Had his student, the one he favored far above all the others, killed his fiance exactly three years ago? How had he managed to kill a higher level than him? And, most of all, why...?

The fact that he had died a hero, protecting the ninja girl until the very end...was very admirable indeed. Her life was safe now, sleeping away at the hospital for who knows how long. It was strange, how his life had just taken a sudden shift in direction. His whole career, he thought only the highest of Sasuke and Naruto to pass and Sakura as an after thought. How he had been  _wrong_. Now the one that he had discarded was his only student left, and the other two were missing.

Casting the ashes atop the Fourth's head on the mountain, he watches as it withers away into the the wind. Gone, but free.

* * *

' _So. This is it_.'

As Sasuke walked around with his head held high, he couldn't help but glance at the sights all around him. The streets were dark and depressing, reminding the teen of the Uchiha Massacre in similar fashion. In fact, the villagers themselves didn't seem to be much different. From the way they sent glares his way and pushed past him. Definitely not the friendliness of Konoha Sasuke craved for. As he was passing by, one person caught his attention. Something about his aura seemed different from the other men and women.

"Excuse me. Tell me where Orochimaru is." He held out his map and the grey-haired man looked it over silently. In response, the man with glasses looked down at him with a glint in his eyes. "You wish to see him, now?"

Sasuke nodded.

"My name is Kabuto. He is currently experimenting on his subjects at the lab, but...I shall take you to him shortly." In a  _POOF_! of smoke, they reappeared in a dark, throne room.

"Here he is, Master."

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" A snake-like man says silkily, wearing robes only Otogakure shinobi would wear. Around his waist he wore a purple rope tied loosely and there was no sign visible of him wearing a headband protector.

Stepping downstairs, he walked right up to the boy and licked his ear. Sasuke fumed internally, but showed nothing of emotion. The last thing he wanted was to end up as a prisoner, or worse, as a subject of torturing experiments by the sick man. ' _An Uchiha, hmm? I thought they died out along with their clan. Nice to see I was wrong_.' The snake sannin thinks with a twisted smile. "Danzo has sent me to find you. My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I come seeking for power against my brother." Sasuke bowed curtly and then stood up with an impassive gaze. "Ohoho, I see." Orochimaru cackled with glee. "But, of course. I shall train you to the utmost of perfection. So, you wish to become a student of mine?" Sasuke nodded.

From behind him, Orochimaru had bit him on the neck. The Uchiha had winced from the pain and felt a stinging sensation. Gripping onto his shoulder, he stumbled over and fell onto the greasy floor. He felt darkness cloud his vision, feeling the snake sannin possess his body.

"Thank you."

* * *

Naruto, half-naked in his small clothes, stands up shakily. Shivering from the cold, he realizes that he's out in the middle of the woods where it's completely covered in snow. ' _Whoa_...' He watches as specks of ice flutter down from the sky. The childish side of him tells him to laugh and play out and about, but something is holding him back. He's naked. In the cold.

' _Guess this'll hafta do_ …' He pulled the Akatsuki robes on beside him; the only clothing that would heat up his body. He jumped when he heard a roar from inside of himself. " **Long time no see, Kit. I'm sure you're wondering what's going on here. And I might let you in on a lil secret if ya promise to release the seal.** "

' _K - Kurama? Sorry, but I can't do that. Not at a time like this. Especially when I don't know what the heck is goin' on_!'

" **Oh, c'mon! I suppose there's no changing you, boy**." With a sigh, he continues, " **Long story short, you were taken away by the Akatsuki. And then that Uchiha boy put you under a Genjutsu. Does that ring any bells?"**

The blonde nodded. ' _Oh, yeah, that's right! Sasuke and I were gonna leave the village for good, but then_...' He trailed off and looked around the area for any signs of them, but the camp was clear. ' _Wait, where the heck are they, anyway?! Didn't they say they'd extract the Kyuubi out of me_?' The blonde wondered aloud.

" **They were. But, as you slept, I had no choice but put a barrier around you to protect both you and I. Because if one of us dies, the other will, too. And, believe me, Kit, I do NOT want to die!** **Anyways, the whole campground blew up in the process. But I still believe that they are out there somewhere. Damned infernos**!"

As Naruto chuckled to himself and stretched, his gaze went to look up in the skies where it was a sunny and bright blue.

' _Man, how long has it been? I just don't feel the same_ …'

" **Three years**."

' _N - no way...how can that happen_?' Naruto shook his head, hands in his hair. Now that he looked down at himself, he did seem a lot taller than he had recalled. " **Remember? That Uchiha boy forced you into la la land for awhile, so that when you were old enough to handle the extraction without dying in the process, you would still live. He wouldn't want you dead, he'd sooner die himself. Even that brat isn't so heartless**."

' _Yeah. He did, huh_.'

A frozen puddle nearby him shows his reflection. ' _W - Whoa! What happened to me?' His hand feels for his face._ The blonde stares at himself in shock. It was him, but...not exactly. No longer was he the little boy who had big dreams and lifelong adventures. He was now a young man who had lost a lot of time, and, with it, parts of himself, too. ' _I left my village behind_ ,' Naruto recalled, sadly. ' _The whole village; everyone. I wonder what they think of me, now. Am I still that monster they used to know? Or am I now a hero?_...  _I still don't know what I am_.'

He remembered the days when he sat on the swing set all by himself, and there were tears. A warm smile. A comforting hand.  _Where was Iruka? Was he happy, now?_

' _Uwa...what do I do? I feel like I lost a few years of my life...'_ He looks up when he sees a small black fox amongst the clearing. "H - hey, wait!" It's ears twitched once it heard him and darted to the opposite direction; Naruto soon following in it's footsteps.


	21. Recovery

**XX|.**

* * *

' _I'll...try one last...time..._ ' A tired Ino held the now older Sakura's hand in hers. Activating her special technique, she had full access to Haruno's mind.

**XXX**

_"Sakura?" The blonde kunoichi's voice echoed around the mindscape. The void was cold and dark and lonely. She could feel the undertones of loneliness seeping deep into her skin. She knew she was in here; somewhere within in these deep layers._ _"Heeeeeeeello? You in there?"_

_"I - Ino?" Inner Sakura asked, looking up with wide and fearful eyes. Ino immediately rush to her side, helping her up onto herself. "You're really here?" She sobbed, feeling for her chest. The blonde smiled down at her fondly. "'Course I am, Forehead. Why wouldn't I be?"_

_"Sasuke-kun...he..." She choked in Yamanaka's arms. "H - he left the village..."_

_'But, that was three years ago...' Ino recalled sadly. 'He's just a missing nin at this point.'_

_"Ino," Her green eyes looked up at her best friend's. "Stop him. He's leaving for good!" The blonde shook her head and had her hand on her friend's shoulder. Looking directly into her eyes, she confessed the truth, no matter how hard her friend would take it._

_"Sakura, a lot has happened. But...I really need you to wake up, now. For three years you've been sleeping in this state. I'm trying to bring you back," Ino rubbed her thumb over her hand comfortingly. "So, c'mon! Show me you're still in there and wake up!"_

**XXX**

"I - Ino?" Haruno questioned, blinking awake with eyes half-lidded, she looked around sleepily. "W - what's going on? Where am I?"

"MISS FOREHEAD!" The blonde practically threw herself onto the other kunoichi, to which Sakura returned with a small smile. "You baka...you worried me sick to death!" And she could tell. There were bags under her eyes. It looked she hadn't slept in weeks. "W - what exactly happened?"

"Allow me to explain." A blonde nurse in a white uniform walked inside the room with a small smile. ' _Is that...Tsunade_?' Sakura asked, eyes wide. ' _I - it is! Oh my gods, what do I say_?'

"Exactly three years ago you've been put under a coma. For three years you've been sleeping and a lot has happened. It is as you say. The Uchiha has left the village." Tsunade walks up to feel for a fever, but there is none. She looks down with worried, amber eyes. Sakura's eyes tears up and she looked down at her lap sadly. "Is there a way we can bring him back?  _Please_?"

"I do not know. But your safety mattered much more, and so we tended to you every day. Or, should I say, a friend of yours did it in our stead." Her eyes flicked to the blonde for just a moment and Haruno's jaw dropped.  _Ino-Pig? For three years?!_  "You were here the whole time?" Sakura gaped at the girl beside her. In response, the blonde cuddled up close to her. " _Duh_. I wouldn't leave you in this dreadful hospital all alone! Despite what SOME believe, I'm actually quite the charmer. No way I'd ditch you; I mean, I at least have the decency to stick with you, anyways." She flipped her ponytail arrogantly and grinned.

Tsunade chuckles, watching the two reunite with a hand on her hip.

"As sweet as this moment is, we really should get going. Visitor hours are long overdue. I believe it's time to leave her alone to her thoughts. She still has missed three years, after all."

"Oh, OK." Ino looked down for a second, but then brightened up at the Haruno. "See ya later, Sakura~!" And out the door she went, when the pink kunoichi lets out a sigh of relief.

" _Overwhelmed_?" Sakura nodded.

"I understand," The blonde nurse soothes from her bedside. "I can't imagine waking up and realizing I had been sleeping for a few years. The feeling must be...terrible." Sakura made to stand up, but the older woman held her down. "Wait. I'm sure that hospital gown must be uncomfortable for you. Here are your clothes to change into. Your parents left them just in case."

She held out a red tunic similar to her old one, except this one had no sleeves and was shorter. The Haruno symbol was still there on display, just like the older one.

" _Thanks_."

Tsunade beamed brightly and had her hand on the knob.

"I'll leave you to your privacy."

* * *

Sakura knocked shakily on the door of her home. It had been so long, and yet it had felt like just yesterday she had rebelled against them about her being a kunoichi. "Okaasan? Otousan? I'm home!" She knocked on the door excitedly, hardly waiting to see them again.

Once the door opens, Mebuki stares down at her with a frown. "Come in." She says shortly, and Sakura soon follows behind her. As they neared the living room, Sakura made a mental note of how much everything had changed. The once opened curtains showing the bright greenery outside was now closed and dark. Dust and mold coated every square inch of the house. The air felt thick and she could hardly breath inside.

It was hardly recognizable. ' _What happened to this place_?' The Haruno thinks coldly, her insides freezing over.

"You came a little too late." Her mother turned her back on her and smoked a cigarette. The smoke wafted into the air, Sakura struggling not to choke. "Now you come back; what do I do? I'm not a mother anymore. If you were family, then you would have stayed and not left us like that."

"You don't want me?" Sakura's eyes widen with realization, taking a step back. The blonde woman didn't answer her, instead staring at her, unfazed.

' _Please just talk to me_.' Sakura begs desperately. ' _please_.'

"Where's dad? At least tell me that much!" She demanded, crossing her arms. "Your  _father_?" Her mother stiffens up. "Hmph. He left for good." She thumbed her ring finger with a sour expression. "No use having a woman like me and a missing daughter when he could be doing his civic duties as a retiree ANBU."

That missing wedding ring from her finger said it all. It was over, in every sense of the word.

"I'm not needed anymore, is that what you're saying?" Sakura snapped impatiently, tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe it. The one who loved her more than anything had just flat out admitted that she no longer cared for her. Blood related they may be, but that didn't mean there was any love for her left. In her eyes, she was just some stranger.

" _FINE_!" Sakura snapped, "I'm leaving."

She rushed to her now faded pink room and yanked out some things here and there and packed it all away into a duffel bag, without even bothering to hear her mother out. Leaving out the door, she didn't even look back as she snapped it closed shut behind her.

* * *

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura sniffles, as she walks away from the apartment. Her smile wavers for a second, but then she thought of Team Seven back together again and instantly brightened. "Long time no see! ...  _Quite literally_." The grey-haired young man greeted with a smile behind his mask."Where is Sasuke-kun and that baka?" She couldn't help but ask, looking around curiously. "I'm afraid I cannot answer that question." He says with flair, holding a finger over his mouth. "That information is classified. Of course, our hokage wouldn't want to leak anything to the villagers, shinobi or otherwise."

' _Although...it's still astounding how there are still no new leads as of yet..._ ' Kakashi ponders, ' _those two boys are missing and no one has seen them in ages.'_

"' _Hokage_ '?" Sakura echoed. Kakashi sweat drops, snapping back into reality. Oh, well. Speculation could wait until some other time. "You really are clueless, aren't you? Exactly three years ago, our hokage died. A new one has taken his place ever since."

"Tsunade-sama?" She guessed. If that nod was anything to go by, she was indeed correct. "But then, sensei, why did he die? I've known him my whole life...surely he can't be dead." From the time she played with him in the flower fields to the times when she needed his help most of all. Having him dead complicated things. "That is still unclear. Even after all of this time." Kakashi put a finger to his chin contemplatively. ' _Though I have a sinking suspicion that Orochimaru has something to do with it_...' Shaking his head, he wanders off with a book between his fingers.

"W - wait, where are you going?" She cried.

"I'm still your sensei, but I'm off duty at the moment. Maybe go see someone to train with?"

She smiled. She knew just who would help her out.

* * *

"Hmm... I kind of pictured someone a little bigger.  _Taller_?" Jiraiya guessed, staring at the newcomer with unease.

"Shut up!" Sakura snapped impatiently, "I've lost my teammates, I'm all on my own now. I need you to train me, got it?" she snarled furiously, raising a fist to punch him. "Easy, easy, little lady!" He says, waving his hands back and forth. "And put that porn away, too! It's disgusting!" She says, eyes flickering to both the "Icha Icha Paradise" and also to the "Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi". Her face scrunched up angrily.

" _Wha_  -?! No, this is my precious. I won't let you take it away from me!" He hollered, holding them away from the girl. She crossed her arms and decided to let the matter slide. Obviously it was way too personal to him. "Whatever! I spent hours just looking for you. Since you're my new sensei for the time being, I need you to help me become stronger!" It sounded simple enough. "Alright, little lady. Lemme see what I can do." As he stands up, his back arched and cracked. Doubling over in pain, he wheezes. "Uuurgh. Give me a moment." It pops and then he sighs in relief.

"Mind giving me some painkillers? I ain't gettin' any older..." Sakura huffs to herself, and went to grab some from her medical aid kit. "Here, don't get used to this." She huffs, watching as he plopped some pills into his mouth. Exasperated, she says haughtily, "Can we go, now? I have some teammates to save!"

"A'ight. Gimme a sec and I'll be right there with you, kid."

* * *

"There! See, these are your targets. All you hafta do is aim and strike." He gestures to the wooden targets circling her. ' _Well, this is easy enough_.' She thinks confidently, readying herself into a fighting stance."The real kicker about this one is that it's constantly moving. Use the right timing and attack." All of them swirled around, circulating around her a miles a minute. Her eyes watched as each one moved until it became a blur. ' _Whoa_!' She thinks, her head swirling. ' _I - I can't do this! This is too much for me_!'

Sakura then feels a powerful emotion burst out of her chest. A desire to surpass her own teammates and her esteem to become a better shinobi. Weird facial markings surrounded her eye, and she held her head in her hands and screams. Her Kekkei Genkai had activated in a matter of seconds.

The dummies all around her bounce off it's hinges and wood pillars burst out of the ground; the heads falling down with a clatter. Earth and water chakra seeping out in the process. Snapping out of her stupor, she looked at them with shock and stumbles back.

' _SHANNARO! What just happened_?' She thinks wildly, looking down at her gloved hands. ' _Did I just do that_?'

"What was that all about?" The pervy sage calls from his spot, witnessing her using kekkai genkai. Walking over to her, he helps her up and blinks in disbelief. "I felt something inside of me...and it came out!" Seeing him squint his eyes, she adds in hurriedly, "stupid, isn't it?"

"You...have a bloodline limit?" Jiraiya says in awe, staring at her. She shakes her head. "This can't be true...I'm the only Haruno who has something like this. It just doesn't come naturally with our clan. How is this even possible?"

"Well, all clans are distantly related to the Senju, in some form or another. However, only the First was capable of using Wood Release. Only a select few know it's powers...you said it happened to you just like that?"

Sakura nodded.

"Then that says it. You're a distant descendant of Hashirama Senju."

* * *

"Tsunade-sama." Sakura greets, knocking on the door to her office.

"Can I come in please?" With burns and bruises all over her body, she comes inside and strides over the the older woman's desk. The hokage gapes at her, jaw dropping. "What happened to you?!" She snaps, fierce amber eyes alight with fury. "...Don't ask." Tsunade shrugs, sipping her sake. "...If you insist. Anyway," she folds her hands together, "Thank you for coming on such short notice. There is something I wish to give you for lasting this long. Shizune," she snaps her fingers and a young woman holding onto a pig appears.

"Yes, milady?"

"Show our guest her gift."

Shizune nods, and they walk off through a series of hallways, where the hokage's assistant leads her to a new room. "This is all yours." Shizune says, opening the door to her study. "Wow..." Sakura looked around the cutesy room in shock. It was exactly her style. It looked a little edgy with ninja weapons on full display, but was otherwise perfect. A bed just for her, and a roof over her head. This was more than she could ever ask for.

"For me?" The brunette laughed. "Of course! Lady Tsunade wouldn't want an apprentice of hers without a shelter to live in! It is simply asinine."

"Thank you, thank you,  _thank you_!" Sakura burst into tears, hugging the woman around the chest.


	22. A Long Lost Hero

**XX||.**

* * *

As Sakura waits in line to administer for the new Chunin Exams, she spots someone amongst the crowd that piques her interest. Purple hair. Lilac jacket. She knows who it is as soon as she lays her eyes on her.

"Wait, Hinata, is that you?" She asks from behind her back, hand on her shoulder. " _Oh_! Um, hi, Sakura-chan!" The Hyuga says, turning around to face her. "Y - you took me by surprise. Gomen-ne." For someone who had lost her crush, the young woman seemed to be in relatively fine condition. The fact that she wasn't stuttering or freaking out was quite a feat indeed, for someone as shy as her.

" _So_? You've heard all about me?" Sakura asks with a smug smile. "Like, how no one seemed to know where I was for awhile? As if I had just," she used an exaggerated hand expression,"disappeared from the face of the Earth?" She was mentally giving herself a pat on the back, expecting high praise from the shy shinobi. The blushing girl nods. " _Mmhmm_! It's been a long time since I've last seen your face around here. Might I ask, where were you, Sakura-chan?" Not wanting to spare all the details, Sakura opted to keep it light and simple. "I've just... been busy, that's all. What with Sasuke-kun missing and all sorts of training to catch up on." The purple girl nodded.

"I - I understand. I know that feeling." She sighs, looked down at her clasped hands. "N - Naruto-kun has been missing for so long...everyone in the village seems to have something against him, but. He's so nice and kind to everyone around him; he doesn't deserve to get kidnapped by the A - Akatsuki!" Even the name sent shivers down her spine. "His heart touches so many p - people, it's amazing. He even stood up against Neji-san! That's why I'm going to do my best, that's my nindo way!" A determined look crosses her face, reminiscent of Naruto when he got his hopes high. Sakura cast a sympathetic smile, remembering how he'd never give up, no matter what.

"It's because of Naruto-kun that I can believe in myself...I will do everything I can to bring him back, because he is my friend. The last time I'd seen him, I - I didn't even get to say goodbye!" Her lower lip trembles as she blabbers on and on about him, burying her face in her hands, and sobbing.

Seeing her fellow kunoichi about to cry, Sakura placed a reassuring hand on her arm. "It's OK, Hinata! He'll come back soon. I promise." If anything, it seemed that Hinata was going to burst out into tears at any moment. Trying to lighten her up, she says, "It still feels like yesterday when we were just genin. Crazy, huh?" Hinata hummed in agreement and then shakily went to take her test from the podium.

"T - thank you, Sakura-chan. It really means a l - lot to me that you c - care."

' _Anytime_ ,' she waves with a smirk, before she feels a shove from behind. "You're holding up the line!" Some random guy shouts from their back and forth chatter. "I - I'm so sorry, excuse me!" Turning to the Haruno, she whispers back, "Well, erm, good luck!"

' _The chunin exams, huh_.' Sakura thinks, green eyes scanning the other desks. Might as well give it a try.

* * *

"I passed!"

The girl looked like she was going to pass out any second, as she stood in the doorway. The way her body swayed back and forth and her cross-eyed look. ' _She looks like she's seen better days_.' The blonde woman, Tsunade, notes to herself, standing tall with her hands on her hips. "Shizune, go get the uniform for me."

Her assistant nods and hurries back, holding out a green flax jacket for the Haruno to wear.

"Haruno Sakura. You have done well to earn the title of a jounin, if you so wish," the older woman muses from the sidelines. "The journey to becoming a medical ninja is a challenging one. But after our time healing together a few days ago, I knew... you were unlike any other medical student I had had before. Your skills in medical jutsu seemed unmatched compared to theirs. That is why I shall reward you for your efforts as a healer in training."

"Good luck."

* * *

Tsunade sits at her desk, sipping on some sake. As soon as all the other teams arrive in a  _POOF_! of smoke, she announces gravely from her desk,

"Now that all of you are jounin, standing here before me, there is an announcement I want to make. You have all worked hard to get here. Each and every single one of you." All of the teams nod to themselves, with Rock Lee and Mighty Guy doing a thumbs-up.

"That said, there is still one thing I wish to address. Something serious that has all plagued your minds for three years. I'm sure you might have an inkling as to what I'm talking about. There is a missing boy, who has disappeared off the face of the Earth. His name is Naruto Uzumaki. "

All of them took a moment of silence, recalling what little time they had with the blonde boy. Brash, brave, and a heart of gold. And yet, it was one of the best times they had ever had with him around. Having him missing made everyone mourn for his loss.

"I'd like for all of you to scout the areas by any means necessary."

"But, he could be anywhere!" A brunette, Tenten, argues. "We've searched high and low for three years, and yet, have we ever seen any signs of him?  _No_. It's hopeless. Why try when he could be in hiding?"

"It is as she says. It would be unwise to send us to search for him in the Leaf all over again." Neji agreed stiffly. "If he's not in the Land of Fire, then it's a possibility he's in another country entirely." The hokage had her hand over her head rubbing her temples and the other holding onto a feather pen hovering over a parchment of paper. Looking up, her amber eyes looked so fierce that all of them took a step back.

"Alright, all of you, listen up! I'm sending each and every squad to a seperate elemental nation on the request of the Hokage. Check every hidden village if you have to! He has to be somewhere...I refuse to believe that brat is dead!" She slammed her fist on the table, alarming the teens all around her. "And even if the boy is...he at least deserves a proper burial. I won't let his corpse rot out in the middle of nowhere!"

' _He is our last and only hope_...' Tsunade thinks to herself. ' _And a Jinchuriki of our village. Wherever he is, we will do whatever it takes to save him. That is my promise to you, Minato's son_.'

With a newfound resolve, they all left the office.

* * *

" **You're at his tail, you're almost there**!"

' _Thanks, Kurama_.' Naruto adds in internally, his Akatsuki robes flying behind him as he sped off after the small, black kit. "Gotcha!" Naruto held onto the small fox with a grin. ' _Huh_?' The kit cooed and cooed and cooed, it's howl heard throughout the field of snow and white bark birch trees. Naruto held his breath and squinted, as something surreal and dreamlike walks through the snow.

A great white fox - A  _Kitsune_  - comes into the clearing, it's fur coated in ice droplets and blood. Behind them, there were bloody footprints from who knows where. But, the serene creatures stands before him in all it's glory; quite unlike anything from this world.

" _ **Naruto Uzumaki**_..." It says, as a wind whishes past them them. It's red eyes stare down at him, with a small glint of light. " ** _Son of the Fourth. Distant descendant of Hashirama Senju_**..."

" ** _I am the Spirit of Wind and Fire, Fujinkasai (風神火災). But my brother, Futenmizu (風神水), has fallen ill of his power. Since thee be the son of the Sealing Master, Minato Namikaze, I shall gift thee his powers._** _ **Only those from the Land of Whirlpools - Uzushiogakure - know of this special technique. But, it, too, has been long forgotten and destroyed in fear of it spreading to other countries around the world. Thee are the last one to harness it's power...**_ " Naruto's eyes widen, and a holy light covers the Kitsune like a shroud. " ** _I shall grant thee the long forgotten power: Fuuinjutsu. A technique taught only to thou._** "

A fire whirlwind swirled all around the Uzumaki's body, enveloping him in flames. He looks down at himself, mouth agape. ' _Wow_...'

" _ **Start by sealing this Kit into thy scroll**_."

The blonde did as he was told. Folding his forefingers together, he activated the jutsu. " _Fuuinjutsu: Kai_!" He commanded. The small, black Kit had disappeared into a  _POOF_! of smoke and into the scroll itself. "This is so...COOL!" Naruto gushes to himself, "With this, I'm, like, ten times more awesome than that cranky ol' bastard. Nya hah ha haha!" He instantly regrets making himself heard, when a rustle of snow nearby alerts the both of them. The Kitsune turns to him.

" _ **I shall go, now. Thy friends await**_."

* * *

"See anything, yet?" Sakura, Hinata, and Sai were all on the lookout for a blonde ninja.

"My Byakugan can see up to ten meters, now... but I still don't see him." Hinata shook her head, leaping branch to branch. ' _I've always chased after you...even now_.' She thinks, with her face crinkling up, ' _please be OK, wherever you are_...'

Sensing a spike of chakra coming out from somewhere down below. Once she saw who it was, she couldn't believe her eyes. "N - Naruto-kun?" She asks carefully, hopping down from one of the trees with eyes wide, her team following soon after. It was  _him_.


	23. Reunion

**XX||.**

* * *

"N - Naruto-kun…!" Hinata calls out, but then covers her mouth once she saw the sight of the unfamiliar friend she used to know. A dead deer lay amongst the snow, blood surrounding all over the outline of it's body. At the husk, Naruto had his face buried deep inside it. His teeth were razor sharp as he cut through it's organs, blood spurting out in the process. Hinata, having a phobia of blood despite being a ninja, couldn't look without wanting to legitimately throw up. The sight alone was scarring, but her childhood friend doing it? Had hit the nail right in the coffin for her.

"P - Please, come back to Konoha…" She pleaded, deactivating her Byakugan before it could hurt her eye. When Naruto looked up animalistically, even Sakura, the bravest of the three, almost considered calling the mission to a close. The thing bared it's teeth, it's fangs out on full display. From his nails burst out blood and fox-like claws. Red chakra surrounded him, causing the snow around him to melt until it was just watery grass underneath.

' _The Nine Tails_!' Sai thinks, leaping back to the trees along with his team mates. It roars, causing the whole ground to shake and for the team to hold their hands over their ears. The sound alone was almost unbearable; rendering them almost deaf. Once he quieted down, his whole body went limp against the carcass.

The Hyuga had her head buried into Sakura's shoulder; sobbing quietly as the seconds ticked by. Sai stood impassively, but even he seemed a little on edge. "Naruto! I don't know why you're wearing those robes...and I don't know what exactly happened to you, but we're bringing you back!" The blonde - or the thing that looked like him - growled back angrily and continued shoving it's face into the bloody stomach. Sai took an uneasy step forward. This was his sense of duty, he wouldn't let this charismatic boy fall deep into the darkness, like his teammate had.

" _Naruto_! You wish to stay here, where the Akatsuki could easily take you, if they haven't already!" He reasoned, still keeping a distance so as to not burn alive from the immense heat radiating off the boy. It was almost like the scorching sun was right in front of the face. "Once we're back, we won't promise you safety. Come with us, now, so that the ROOT and ANBU won't kill you once given the chance."

Naruto's red eyes gradually turned into blue; losing the Kyuubi's power in a matter of seconds. Hinata looked up and burst into tears. "Naruto-kun! Please…" The Hyuga shouts in tears, shaking her head; her voice mostly muffled in Sakura's collar. "I'm sorry, guys…" He says, snapping back into his senses. It was only now that he realized where he was and who he was talking to. A metallic taste filled his mouth.  _Blood_?

"You're no different than Sasuke-kun if you leave, you BAKA!" Sakura shouted; gritting her teeth. Her wild, pink hair flew about in all sorts of directions. "H - he left me, too...he wanted you both to leave together. Don't you dare do this to us! Your friends; your family!"

' _Wait...is that Sakura-chan_?' His eyes widen once he realized who it was.  _It was her_! He couldn't help but let a big smile stretch across his face. Staring at her was so nostalgic. It was like three years ago all over again, when they were just thirteen year olds exploring the world and learning what it means to become a ninja. "Sakura-chan!" He jumps out of the deer carcass and onto her. She catches him and holds him steady; with Hinata taking a step back to keep her bearings.

"B - baka..." She smiles down at him, whacking him on the head. "When I saw you transform earlier, I thought for sure you'd - " She looks like she's about to say something else, but then stops herself. "Oh, never mind. You're safe and sound...that's all that matters. Let's get back into business. Are you on his side?"

' _S - Sasuke? What's she on about? I knew it! That bastard has something to do with this_.'

"Well, are you?" She pressed for answers, shaking him roughly. "Because he's a rogue nin, I can't let you be with someone as dangerous as him! So you have to come with us!"

' _Sasuke? Dangerous? Sure, he's kinda weird an' all, but he ain't a threat ta me. Not with me to stop him, he isn't_!'

"Look, I'm stayin' here! I promised Sasuke I'd leave with him no matter what! Even if it's the Leaf I'm leaving behind." He says with such sincerity that it shocks all three of them. ' _What are you saying_?' Sakura thinks, her face going gaunt. ' _You'd never say something like that...'_

"Y - You will, won't you." She choked, looking away with betrayal written right across her face. She pulls out a kunai from behind.

"I'll kill you, you traitor!"

* * *

"I don't care whether my ANBU or ROOT are rogue or not. I'll send them regardless to get the boy back."

Kakashi's one good eye glared at the hokage. Never before had he seen someone so stupid entitled to leading the village. The Third wouldn't have risked such a thing. And maybe the Fourth, his sensei, would've made a compromise so that no lives were taken in the process. "You should care! What if he wounds up dead because of your foolish decisions! We don't need yet another shinobi to die. We already had more than enough lives taken…"

' _Including one of the closest people to me, my own team_.'

For the first time in months, Kakashi looked dead serious. That silly ol' pervert was there no more. Perhaps missing team mates does this to someone. "I sure as hell know what I'm doing," Hatake says quietly. "If you truly want Naruto to come home safe, then please reconsider, hokage-sama."

Even as he stared at her, he could see the thousands of bottles behind her. A visible vein throbs in her forehead, as she screams. "Leave me alone!" Tsunade slammed a fist on her desk, cracking it in two. "Just - just go away, Hatake-san. You're dismissed. I need a moment to think it over." She drunkenly watched as he reluctantly heads out the door and then throws her head on the table. "Milady, are you alright?" Her assistant asks with worry. Massaging her temples, her eye glanced over to the other unfinished sake.

"Gimme more," she slurs, making grabby-grabby motions with her hands. Shizune nodded, handing it over to the young woman. "Mmm," Tsunade says, chugging the bottle down with a satisfying sigh and belching. From behind her, someone appeared in a poof of smoke. "You like it, lady hokage?" Danzo asked, eyeing her carefully. She nodded. "That -URP - hit the spot. Delicious..."

"So, I was thinking about your position as...hokage," he spat the last word like acid, "tell me, are you really serious about your profession?"

She burps slightly.

"Well, Danzo-san…" she hicups and glares daggers at the man opposite her, "I so happen to enjoy what I do for a living. Is that so bad? What can I say? I love my job, and my village. That's why I work hard to protect it. I wish you and the other council members would understand that already. They can't overthrow me for the most ludicrous of reasons...I mean c'mon…"

"Your super-strength throws people off. Not to mention that, when you drink, you tend to lose your head."

"HEY!" Tsunade snaps, ready to punch him in the face if need be. "Only...sometimes." She admitted after a moment. "They think a true leader of Konoha should act like one. All you've been doing is drinking, gambling, and - and getting temper tantrums. We're charging you on your, what, 100th broken object this month? You're just not fit for the title, hokage-sama." That snapped the blonde out of her reverie. Her beady eyes glared at the offending man beside her.

"' _Not fit for the title_!' Are you insane! I've been doing this for years while you've been sitting on your lazy ass! Don't tell me I've got the wrong job now." In response, she chucks her bottle across the wall opposite them, her assistant rushing to clean up the pieces.

"Damnit!" She cries, and grumbles to herself about 'insufferable wannabes'. "There, there," He soothes, struggling to hide a smile. The young woman was right under his fingertips. "I'm so sorry, Danzo-san. It's been poisoning her mind slowly but surely. Every day, her condition just gets worse and worse." Shizune whispers into his ear, "I worry about her well being sometimes..."

' _Oh...really_?' Danzo smirked. Yes, perhaps he could use this to his advantage...

* * *

"I - I really don't want to kill you, Naruto!" Sakura yelped, readying into a fighting stance and about to throw the kunai at him. Her hands were shaking as she gripped onto the handle."As your teammate, I can't do something like that. O - our mission was to bring you back dead or alive because you're a missing nin. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not to my best friend."

"Stop, Sakura," Sai scolds, holding a hand to silence her, "Just, let him go. We'll just say he's...still on the run or something. If he wants to be free of the village, it's not in our place to stop him from what he wants. Mission or not, he's still a friend."

"B - but-" She looks between her teammate and her former friend, unsure of what to do. "Naruto, is it the demon sealed inside of you?" Sai asked seriously with a frown. "We saw you go Kyuubi earlier."

"Y - Yeah," Naruto says, trembling slightly, "I - I can't control Kurama's power. I had to leave. A - and the villagers don't want me to return anyway. I'm sorry, Sakura…Sai…Hinata." He looked to Hinata and Sai and they nodded at him, even though they looked like their whole world had just shattered into a thousand pieces. Sakura, on the other hand...

"Who the hell cares? Just shut up, Naruto! I'm going to take you back to the hokage no matter what!" She growls, glaring at him with killing intent flashing in her eyes. "Go, Naruto! GO!" Sai shouts, urging him to leave before their leader could possibly kill him. But, somehow, he couldn't.

"No." He says firmly, taking a step forward; the snow crunching under his feet. "I'll come with you." All three look at him and gasp. "You can't be serious." Sakura gaped at him, "Are you for real, you idiot?! You're...actually coming back with us?"

"I know what I said." Naruto frowned at her. "Take me home." And they did.


	24. Welcome Home, Naruto

**XX|V.**

* * *

' _He sure has grown up, hasn't he_?' The Hyuga thinks to herself as they lead him back home. Three years. In just three years she had never imagined the day would come to this.

And now. Now, he was here in the flesh, standing beside her like he should be. And yet, his smiles; that fox like grin as he pulled his pranks. It was all but gone; not one trace of it left. The boy, now a young man, had a neutral expression adorning his face.

It was like he had  _wanted_  to be free, the way he looked behind him with his hands tied behind his back. An almost longing look overshadowing his features; a gloomy dark cloud of doom overhanging his head. Hinata felt almost sad about him tagging along with their squad, but, then again, there was no other choice but to. Hokage's orders, after all.

As they were walking along the snowy path, Hinata couldn't help but notice the now older blonde shivering, even with the Akatsuki robes on for warmth. Not wanting him to be completely helpless, she opted to help him out. "Naruto-kun, are you cold?" Her face contorts with concern, eyeing his body as it closes in on himself. "If - if you'd like, we can always take a break. Whatever you do, d - don't push yourself too hard..." Blood filled her cheeks as she looked at anything but at him.

"I'm okay," he says through jittery teeth. His body said so otherwise, however. "Here..." She wraps a ruby red scarf around his neck and ties it loosely with a small chuckle. "Haha! This looks lovely on you, Naruto-kun~!" She coos with a small smile. "Wh - whoa. What's this, Hinata?" He looked at it in awe, mouth agape. "I knitted it myself o - over the summer," She twirls a lock of her purple hair with flushed cheeks on her normally pale face. "You like it?"

"Of course I do. It looks just like the old one I used to have! Thanks, Hina - chan!" He would have hugged her had he not been stuck in his current position. ' _EEEE! Naruto-kun likes it! This is so wonderful; this fuzzy feeling_ ~.'

"O - Of course." She smiled once she saw that grin spread across his face. Now,  _THIS_  was the Naruto she knew and cherished. Sai smiled at the two lovebirds, absently using an inked paintbrush to draw them on his scroll. Sakura beams at them, it had been a long time since she'd seen them together like this (if, at all). From being complete strangers to now fellow friends. But still sweet, nonetheless.

"Come on, you two. The hokage's waiting, you know." She scolds them, smirking playfully, "Now, enough chit chat! Let's get going already, geez!"

' _SHANNARO! That girl needs to back off; he's my man! ...Or so I'd like to say to that baka. Too bad that idiot likes someone else_.' She thinks of Sasuke-kun and flinches. Seeing as how rogue he was right now, he'd probably have killed her if she so much as said that. Good thing he wasn't here to hear her out, or else he wouldn't even forgive her for taking that away from him. Thank goodness...

Naruto and Hinata groan.

* * *

Passing by, there stood a single store among the streets. Just the perfect scapegoat. "Guys, hang on a sec. I'mma get somethin'." They cast him a side glance that said, quite plainly, ' _Oh, are you really? I should've known_.'

"What? It'll be real quick, I promise!" He begs, tears in his eyes. "Hurry it up, then," Sakura huffed, unlatching his chakra cuffs. Feeling the Kyuubi enter inside of him, a rush of power enters through his veins. He feels alive again.

" **Heh he, it feels good to be back and at 'em! How ya doin', Kit**?"

' _Well, aside from bein' seperated from the teme for THREE YEARS, I think I'm doin' pretty good, I'll say_.'

" **Well, that sucks. Maybe you'll see him again, soon.** "

' _I sure hope so...'_

"See ya in a bit!" He calls, his inner self chuckling madly. Snapping back into his senses, he turns to leave, but the Hyuga heiress stops him halfway through. "Naruto-kun, please hurry. I - I really really REALLY don't want to use my Gentle Fists on you..." He nods at her and rushes off as far away from them as possible. ' _C'mon, c'mon_...' He curses his legs, why couldn't he move any faster? " **What's the rush, kiddo**?"

' _Well, it's just that, I gotta go! I can't stay here, not like this_!' He says, making a mad dash across the street. " **You used to be all for Konoha, now you're against it? Times sure do change, huh**?"

' _That's in the past, Kurama! My whole life I've been tryin' to please people, even though they treated me terribly, half the time. Actually, try ALL the time,'_  He thinks sourly, ' _Sides, I always wondered it was like outside of the village. I want to explore the whole world, and go on tons of adventures! This isn't over, yet_...'

He cast a look past the hokage's head mountains and softens his eyes. ' _It's not like I'm goin' to hurt anybody. I mean, even I'm not THAT bad. I just wanna live my own life for once, y'know? Not havin' ta worry about something I can't get_.' Like being the hokage, he adds in bitterly. " **Ah, puberty. Rebelling, mood swings, and weird as heck hair growth. It got ya pretty good, Kit. But, so is the life of a teenager.** " Ignoring his comment for the time being, he sees his golden opportunity. ' _Oh, look_!  _This is my chance_.' Opening a door to a random building, he enters inside.

* * *

' _Huh_...' Naruto tears through inside a bookstore and blinks. ' _WHAT THE HECK_!?'

"Err..." He says awkwardly, scratching the back of his head and pouting. "May I help you with something?" The shop clerk peers at him through his horn-rimmed glasses. "N - no thank you! Really." The Uzumaki shakes his hands back and forth with a nervous smile, hoping to sneak by without getting caught. "I'll just be on my merry way now. Hehe."

' _Guess it can't ta check out a book or two. Maybe find a way out of this mess_.' He looks around through the shelves of books upon books, but nothing catches his eye. Seeing a spark at a certain corner, he pries the wood open and it reveals a small, dusty book with cobwebs all over it. Blowing it off, he stares openly at the cover.

"' _The Forbidden Affairs of Love_.'" He whispers, blanching. " **Sounds like a porno to me, Kit**."

' _What's this doin' here? It doesn't have a label like all the other books here_.' He decides against buying it, but then a shadow looms over him ominously. "Hey." Someone taps his shoulder, and Naruto feels his hair stand on end. Turning around, he gulps, feeling a shiver down his spine.

He hides a book behind his back, but even the old man can see it. "Let me see that," he sighs, holding out a hand. The blonde hands it over reluctantly, not meeting his eyes. "I see what you got there." He examines the book intently. "... _Interesting_. Very interesting. You see, what you have is no ordinary book. It is something hidden away for good reason; actually I was the one who hid it decades ago. It's not something the public would want to see. The fact that you found it, after decades of it laying there, waiting to be found...speaks of the promise of a true intellect."

"Gee, thanks..." Naruto scratches the back of his head, blushing slightly, "But, I'm not actually THAT smart. I mean, even Sasuke does that kinda stuff better than me. He's...he is..." He trails off, thinking about the Uchiha boy. Truthfully, it had hurt that he wasn't there with him anymore. He grew so used to having him here, that without him...it was almost like he had nothing to look forward to. No challenge, no obstacle in his path, nothing. He was... _gone_. That's just it; gone. ' _We were compatible...him and I. ...Where are you? Sasuke, are you in my heart, too? I'm gonna find you someday, now that I know you're alive. I won't sit back this time and watch you hurt yourself again. I promised I'd save you myself if I have to!_ '

"Ne, ne. Sorry. Sorta lost in thought there." He laughs nervously. The old man peers at him; adjusting his glasses, and smiles. "Dear boy, you seem to be confused about all of this. As you can see from the title, this is about the affairs of love. Moreover, the forbidden acts of shinobi and villagers alike." He elaborates, examining the book and flipping through its' crinkled pages, "Hand in hand, man and wife. This has been our system for hundreds of years and is still custom and traditional to this day."

"Huh?"

"What I'm saying is, is that a man can't love another man. Notice how there's almost never a woman and a woman together. Having fun, laughing, spending time together, even as friends."

The blonde nods. "It's how our world works. Men are structured to love a woman and women are structured to love a man. This is the decree from the First, Hashirama Senju, himself. That's why you almost never see a boy and a boy holding hands together. Why they never kiss; why they never marry. It is strictly illegal to do so otherwise."

Naruto gulped. He remembered doing that with Sasuke. A  _lot_ , actually. No wonder why people looked at them like they grew two heads or somethin'. Because it wasn't " _normal"_  by any means. Glowering at the man, he snaps, "Hey, what's that to ya, anyways? And, yeah, so what if I do?! What I do with some guy doesn't matter, yanno!" He shouts in the library defensively, only realizing a little too late that he admitted the truth about his feelings. Flustered, he looks away angrily, and crosses his arms.

"Because I was just like you, when I was younger, dear boy." The old man says ever so gently, Naruto is almost taken aback. "Oh, yeah?! So what?"

"I - I loved a Kohaku. Before we even became ROOT members, we were the bestest of friends. We were going to marry one day; we promised under a sakura tree." He sighs, sliding the spectacles off of his long, crooked nose and slips it into his hands. "I remember exactly...I had proposed to him and confessed my love, all but for nay. Alas, it was not meant to be. We faced the penalty. The council members at the time forbid it. We were separated, and soon after, we broke ties with each other. We were never to be seen in public ever again."

' _H - he's just like me_...' Naruto sniffles, tears streaming down his cheeks. "T - that's horrible! I'd hate feelin' like that!" He grits his teeth, looking down painfully, "I hated that teme for sure, but...! If the Old Man told me one day that that our friendship was as good as over, then I wouldn't know how ta live with myself!"

' _He was my first kiss, after all! Would they arrest me for that_?' The old man smiles down at him sadly, stroking his shoulder. "Don't make the same mistake I did, young lad... As someone who was just like you, it will only make you suffer, in the end. I married a woman, but I still regret not having have done something sooner. I never loved her, no, not truly like the man I used to love. It was never the same; so I had to replace my feelings for her, instead. How I regret doing something like that..."

Naruto wipes his tears away angrily with his sleeve. "I - I'm sorry, ojii-san..." The shop clerk smiles down at him, "As a token of my thanks, I'd like to leave it in your good hands." He places the book in his hands, which the blonde accepts with disbelief. "Now, go! Before anyone else sees you, Naruto Uzumaki!" The blonde nods, but then sputters. "Wait, wha - ! How'd you know it was me the whole time?" The shop clerk smirks at him. "It's rather obvious, is it not? Don't worry, I'll cover for you if they ask." Before the boy leaves, he says, "Oh, and don't forget..."

"...your feelings for the Uchiha are genuine. Don't let it die."

Naruto blushes and nods, despite himself. And so the old man shoos him away, and, as he walks off, he hears familiar voices to his ears. Disguising himself in a  _henge_ , he listens into the conversation that unfolds right before his eyes.

* * *

Overhearing Team Ten from one of the tables, Naruto hides himself from behind a bookshelf. "I sure hope Team Kakashi finds that number one knuckle headed ninja before we do. Honestly, what a drag..."

"As long as they don't capture the missing nin Sasuke-kun. He's already corrupt as he is...killing thousands of lives in battle without a second thought. I don't think Miss Forehead could ever catch him, even if she tried. If that's the case, then she'll just hafta forfeit the mission. Better safe than sorry, right? And at least that blonde baka isn't THAT dangerous."

' _Criminal_?' Naruto echoed in his mind, ' _Since when did that happen? I thought that asshole was just livin' his life in the wild or whatever...'_

" **Just because that Uchiha brat is out there, doesn't mean he's taking the easy life. Maybe they aren't lying, after all. I wouldn't be surprised if he really is killing people behind your back, kid."**

' _I dunno. Somethin' just doesn't feel right about this picture.._.' He hears a slam on the table, and listens in a little more. "That still doesn't change the fact that the Akatsuki are still out there, growing stronger than ever. We already lost our sensei, Asuma..."

All of them look at the floor sadly, not maintaining eye contact."But, enough about that. What about that new kid on their team. What's his name?  _Sai_? How troublesome..."

"Oh, him?" Ino had a far off gaze in her eyes, "Well, he's not as emotionless as people make him out to be. He's very nice. Actually, Miss Forehead set me up with him and we had lunch together one night. He just has trouble reading other people's emotions, that's all. One time, he even called me," her cheeks dust a nice shade of pink, "' _gorgeous_.'"

' _Blegh_!' Naruto stuck his tongue out

"Ugh...I need a cigarette for this," Shikamaru sighs, using a match to light up a cigar. "Anyways, you and Temari are a thing, hmm~?" Ino says slyly. "We went on one date and she passive aggressively punched me as we were eating at a dango shop because she had a sweet tooth and she didn't tell me until then. And then she says that I'm too lazy for my own good and that my head is too often in the clouds...and she isn't wrong. It's just that women are so much trouble to keep up with...too tiresome for me. But, yeah. We hang out. Sometimes."

"Mmm!" Chouji licks his lips, wiping the grease off his mouth. Reaching for more chips in his bag, he adds in, "If he was chicken, I'd have barbequed that Yamanaka! Delicious~!"

" _EWW_! Do you ALWAYS think about food?" Ino whacks him on the head with a book. "Now, as I was saying, before you so RUDELY interrupted me -"

\- A rumble stops her midsentence and she groaned. "Not  _again_."

"Let's get our grub on! I'm hungry..."

"Of course YOU are, Chouji." She sighs, "alright, let's go, you two. It's not like we got anything better to do, anyway."

And so, Naruto exits the store before they can spot him.

* * *

"You sure took your sweet time, baka. Frankly, I shouldn't even be surprised that you slacked off again. What's your lame excuse this time?" She glares at him, hands on her hips. "I - I got none." He shrugs, "my... bad?"

"Baka." She slaps him across the face, sending him flying to the ground. Hinata screams. Sai looks aghast, narrowing his eyes on the offending girl. "You're lucky you got away with your stupidity this time," Sakura says, wagging a finger. "You know, if it weren't for us, you'd be dead by now. You should be grateful for our help." Opting to change the subject, Sai decided to start a conversation on something else; notably the thing the blonde was holding. "What's that you got there?" Sai stares down at the object he's trying to hide behind the small of his back. But, it's becoming increasingly more obvious that it's something to worry about. "Oh, this? Uhh...it's nothin'..."

"Ah, you like to read, Naruto-kun?" Hinata beams with delight, eyes doe like. "Me too! We have so much in common~!" She smothers him in a hug and kisses him on the cheek. "H - hey!" He blushes, not used to such intimate contact. Though, he shrinks away because as nice as she was, he barely knew her by heart. In his eyes, it would be the same as some stranger walking by the street and frolicking to you like some lovesick puppy. This is exactly how he felt at the moment. But Naruto laughs nervously, playing along with it.

"Hey! Show it to me," Sakura demands, trying to snatch it out of his hands. The girl was persistent, just as feisty and as determined as he was. Naruto smirks at her. "Catch it if ya can, then!" He and Sakura watch as it flies past their heads and onto the road. ' _You idiot_!' Inner Sakura rages, ' _I'm gonna get this, no problem_!' She speeds off and catches it between two slick fingers. "Oh, look. I actually got it, what do you know?" She cackles with glee. She had outsmarted the blonde yet again. Score two for Sakura Haruno! But, looking at the title, she almost screams and drops it. ' _What the heck_?' She thinks, eyeing the title with distaste.

She walks back to her squad and shows it to them. "Why do you have this, anyway? Seems kinda pointless to me."

"I - I dunno! The shop guy gave it to me, that's all! I swear!" He says, embarassed. " _Hmph_! Let's just go to the hokage already," She cuffs him again, as they continue their stroll.

* * *

"Stay... _still_!" Sakura huffs, trying to keep him steady as he was struggling. "I'm not gonna make this any easy for you, Sakura-chan, just 'cuz you're my friend!" He retorts back confidently, happy he got her good. "What? So you'd prefer to run around like all the other wild animals out in the woods? No way." She scoffs, crossing her arms and looking away. So far, the blonde was proving to be a real pest.

Naruto grunted. There was no stopping a confident Sakura, was there. On the bright side, Hina-chan seemed happy to be with him. And Sai was drawing something on his scroll. "W - What are you doin'?" The other male feels down his pants and looks up with a fake smile. "As I thought, my length is bigger than yours. Your penis is quite small, I see..."

"WHY YOU?!" Naruto growls, his inner fox boy leaking out.  _He'd tear him up into pieces if he had to!_ "Shut up, you dorks! Now is not the time to talk about your manhoods! Gawds!" She looks away, disgusted, "You're in the presence of two women. And two  _pretty_  young women, mind you. Pull yourselves together!"

"Sorry, Sakura-chan!" he says unapologetically. After all, she was his captive. No use having Stockholm Syndrome for some girl who hates him, right? "No, you're quite ugly, actually." Sai says savagely, face impassive. ' _OH, CRAP_!  _He's gonna get it!_ ' Naruto thinks, eyeing the pink girl a she loses it on the guy. "EXCUSE ME?!" Sakura screeched, whirling on him. Before it got into a full out brawl, the Hyuga tried stopping them, but to no avail. "G - guys..." She points to the location in front of them.

"We're at the hokage's." Hinata announces from the front, opening the door for them to enter.

* * *

"Ah, it seems we're not alone." A familiar voice says.

Nervously, Naruto steps out of the shadows and the council members in the room just stare at him in contemplation. "Er, granny," he began, looking at the woman in question. "Brat?" she slurs, with a slight burp, as she holds onto a bottle of sake. She wobbles a bit, and she couldn't seem to stay still even for just a minute. "Hokage-sama," Sakura greets with a bow, the other two doing the same. "We have brought him back, just as you wanted."

"Th...ank you..." Tsunade says, straining a smile. "What should we do with him, hokage-sama?" Danzo asks from beside her. She stands up from her desk, and advances toward her subject. Stumbling in the process, she lands facefirst into his chest; her mouth gurgling. "W - what're you doing?" Naruto flinches, feeling her take a step back and giggle.

"ANBU…" the words slurred together," ...strain…'im ow."

" _OW_!" she yells soon after; holding her head in her hands. "Old hag, you OK?" Naruto seemed to ignore his present predicament and still showed some care to the woman who was arresting him on the spot. She fell to the floor, and repeatedly shook her head back and forth. "Perhaps you need some rest, Tsunade-san. I'll take things from here," Danzo suggests, and she nods numbly. Standing up shakily, she leaves the room.

"Now, as for you," he looks to Naruto with a look of glee.

"You'll be annihilated."

* * *

Without thinking, he tears through the room. "BAA-CHAN!" Naruto screamed, pushing past them over to Shizune, who carries the old woman to a bed. Going to her side, he kneels beside her. His face was full of emotions as he clutched her hand. "Eh...you brat…" she grunted, face sweating profusely. "Tell him everything."

"You were...too late." Shizune informs him sadly.

Taking a shaky breath, the young woman explains, "Well, we were running a few tests through her body, and, at first, she seemed perfectly fine. But then, the medics found toxins throughout her bloodstream. We identified the cause of poison from her excessive drinking from a certain sake. What it was, we had no idea. Until now. We've narrowed it down to this bottle that she drank from Danzo. We believe he was the one behind the poison incident."

"Damn fool...and all to become hokage…" Tsunade laughed without feeling and her dull eyes searched through Naruto's big, blue ones. She brings a hand to his face and wipes his tears away with a soft smile. "Gaki..."

"We all found signs she wasn't being herself." Shizune's voice choked, and her eyes watered a considerable amount. But, she didn't cry. Not just yet. "Ever since you've left, she didn't talk to me, Jiraiya-san...or anyone. S - she drank more and more. H - Hokage-sama closed herself in and smoked, as well. She drugged herself to the point of addiction and now she's...she's…" The tears spill from her face and she sobs; burying her face into the older woman's lap.

"Please take this," Tsunade weakly removes her necklace around her neck and placed it into Naruto's palm. "It is the first hokage's." She croaks, voice cracking, "This is a treasure worth thousands and thousands, enough to buy all the hidden villages combined. Or the gold from three mountains...it is that powerful. The special gem has the power to control tail beasts, including that beast of yours, brat..." she coughs, looking at him with soft amber eyes, "This is all yours. I leave it in your care, Namikaze."

' _I'm a...Namikaze_?' He realizes with horror, as her body slumps against the makeshift bed. ' _But, I thought-! Mom was an Uzumaki...so Dad is a -_?'

"Naruto, I'm so sorry...s - sorry...Minato and Kushina Namikaze...they…l - lo - " her words trailed off, and her eyes are blank. "Y - you…." Her body stilled, and her hand hung lifeless in his hand. "Smile for me ... one last time..."

"NO! Don't you dare die on me!" he cradles her head to his chest, shaking uncontrollably. "I won't let you!"

Too late. Letting the tears fall, she draws in one last breath/


	25. Ubermensch

**XXV.**

* * *

Heart beating fast, Naruto gives in to Kurama without hesitation. With a blood curdling scream, an overwhelming amount of chakra fills the air and his whiskers grow more pronounced on his cheeks. Looking up with a hot, boiling rage, he seethes. Clinging onto her lifeless hand in tears, he looks up.

"Naruto-kun! Please, calm down!" Shizune cries, her eyes softening. "I know how you feel, so please...!" He swipes her away with his claws. "How can I be calm?!" He roars, turning to her. "I won't let him lay another finger on baa-chan!" Growling, he swipes through the wooden door of her bedroom and out through the halls in one fell sweep. Breathing heavily, he runs on all fours akin to a fox, and rushes over to the office. Cooling himself down, the Kyuubi's powers lessen and he's back to himself in no time.

Naruto walks over to the main room and the council immediately looks at him.

"So, boy, spit it out," Danzo says, "we don't have all day."

"What the hell did you do to her!" he yelled. "I know you have something to do with this! Tsunade wouldn't overdose without a reason. She's really strong, she wouldn't be so weak as to give up like that!" Hinata, Sakura, and Sai exchange nervous glances. "The truth is, Namikaze," Danzo spat the last name like acid, "a brat like you isn't worthy to be a ninja. You're too emotional over the smallest of little things that no one but you cares about. Grow up and leave us alone." Naruto frowns, willing the tears away. He couldn't let himself get carried away. The council was here - they'd have to hear his case out, right? It's not they'd have some stranger magically become the hokage, anyway.

"You and your pathetic family are just the same. Your parents died because of that THING inside of you. You're lucky they loved you enough to die for you so carelessly."

"Just shut up! That doesn't matter! What are you gonna do to me?"

' _I won't let him get away with this_...' He growls, clenching his fists, claws sinking into his skin. The people in the room take a step back, seeing his eyes change color. "Ah," Danzo marvels, watching him transform right before his eyes. "So you ARE one of those fabled demons..." He smirks maliciously. "I've only heard about them from fairytales, but I - I never imagined that they were real. Hmm..." His eye flickers to the red aura off of the boy. "I can feel your hate seeping out of your skin...so tell me why you want to become the hokage, now?"

"W - well, I..." The blonde fumbles on the spot, flushing, "It's my dream, that's why!"

"That's right, you  _can't_ , can you? You're obviously too weak to inherit the title. You're all talk and little to no action..." Danzo walks around him like prey, staring him down with intent. "You can't even lift a boulder, you poor thing..."

"W - wha - ?!  _Hey_! I so can! Just watch me!" Naruto avowed, pumping a fist into his chest. The "hokage" continues circling around him. "You're nothing without the Uchiha boy..." He watched with mild satisfaction as Naruto's face went pale."He's told me a lot about you..." He waltzes around him with mirth written right across his face. "How he has no need for you anymore... how you're nothing but weak. You'd never understand the pain of losing a lost one..."

"He has? I - I..." Naruto falters. ' _I should've known...I'm so screwed_.'

"Take him to the dungeons. That's an order." Two men restrain him in an iron-like grip and exit the hokage's office.

"As of now, I'm the hokage, so deal with it."

He slams the door behind them shut.

* * *

As the ROOT carry him away, Naruto stops struggling. It was all over. His whole life he'd train for the moment on the off chance that he'd lead the village. Now his goal in life seemed impossible.  _What was he to do, now?_  Without a dream, without a goal, without a purpose? All of that was taken away from him; leaving nary nothing behind. "Sorry, kid," One of the guards mutters, "didn't want ta have to do this. No hard feelings." Naruto's eyes darken as they enter inside a dark building to the side.

And then he was thrown into a cell.

* * *

Hinata stares after him with a look of forlorn. Glowering at the old man, she frowns in disapproval.

' _How could you_?!' She thinks, wanting to wrap her hands around his neck and choke him. How dare he just imprison him to who knows where! ' _He has done nothing wrong...and yet, if I say anything, he'll hurt me just like Naruto-kun. I am completely powerless here_...' Alas, it was not meant to be. The man had full control here, rendering her own squad useless. They stare with conflicted thoughts and feelings. ' _I'm sorry I can't save you_...'

' _That baka...now he's got himself into a bigger mess. How am I gonna save him this time_?' She huffs, facepalming. ' _Of course he'll find a way out of this . That boy's Naruto Uzumaki! He may be a baka, but he's not TOO much of an idiot. Or, at least, I hope not... Let's just hope his brain is bigger than I think it is.'_

"Hokage, if I may," Sai begins, but is interrupted mid sentence. Sakura, Hinata, and Sai spin around to see a shadow behind the hokage's office entrance. Kakashi bursts through the doors, staring at everyone with a chuckle.

" _So_! What did I miss?" He claps his hands together, and Danzo takes a step forward. "Ah, just in time, Hatake. Of course you would come ten minutes too late. I'm your hokage now, and I'm afraid that one of your students is permanently expelled." Seeing his body stiffen, he clarifies, "Naruto Uzumaki is on a death sentence...he'll be spending the next few weeks rotting in that jail cell of his before I officially behead him."

' _No...it can't be? Minato's son is here_?!'

"So you're saying he's in prison right at this moment?" Kakashi exclaims, all the possibilities soaring through his head. What the hell was this man thinking?! "Yes...alive and kicking in the dungeons. However, it is off limits to anyone aside from me who dare enters there uninvited. Try going in there and I will have my ANBU kill you without restraint. I'm warning you, now, lowlife." Kakashi snaps out of his composed shell almost soon as it started. Maybe it was fatherly instinct within him, but he couldn't just let his student, let alone Naruto Uzumaki, die because an old man says so!

" _Don't you do anything to him you hear m_ -!"

Sai silences him by pulling out his scroll from behind and drawing a zipper over his mouth; shutting his mouth. Kakashi makes ' _mmph_!' noises, but he is utterly powerless here. "You just had your neck saved, jounin." Danzo

"I'm firing you. If you can't even control yourself, how could you ever lead your own team? Yamato." In a POOF! of smoke, an ANBU wearing a cat mask appears; armor and all. "Hai."

"While I interrogate this man, I want you to lead Team Seven. Could you do that for me?"

"On your orders." The man behind the mask avows, bowing before him as if he were nothing but a god. Kakashi screams in complaint, but even he can't go against the hokage."Everything's going to be alright..." A cloaked figure appears in the doorway, his robes swishing behind him in the wind. "Leave this to me. If I must," the man turns to Danzo, "hokage-sama?"

"Hmm? What do you want?" The hokage raises a suspicious eyebrow at the stranger.

"I'd like to see the prisoner for myself."

* * *

A few days had past since then.

The blonde was slowly losing grip with reality, coming to terms that maybe he had lost sense of his humanity.  _A hero?_  Pshhh. At the time, the idea sounded perfect but it seemed so far fetched, now. He'd be executed soon; it would only a matter of time. The water trickles down from the ceiling. He could've sworn he heard rats squeak every now and then, but then again, maybe his mind was really playing tricks on him. Naruto honestly didn't know at this point. He jolts once he hears one of the dungeon's doors creak open, and a figure walking with a candle over to him.

From the light of their candle, Naruto caught a good glimpse of their face.

"I - Iruka-sensei? What're you doin' here? I thought," he pauses, "I thought you were dead."

"We all did..." The now older man chuckles, walking over to his cell and examines the bars. ' _They really were serious about this_...'

"But, as you can see..." The Umino removes his blindfolds and faces his former student. "My vision is impaired." Even though he opened his eyes, they were glazed over and he had a cane in front of him. "As you've probably heard, three years ago your teammate, Sasuke Uchiha, had left the village. And Sakura Haruno was there at the scene. He killed me." Naruto's eyes widened.  _That didn't sound like Sasuke_. Even if the guy was an asshole, he wouldn't kill unless he had to. How desperate could he be? "I don't think the boy had the heart to do it...so he put up a stunt in front of Sakura-san. He placed a genjutsu on me and your teammate and left. My eyes couldn't handle his overwhelming power...it was almost inhuman of how much power he had. As a result, I lost my eyesight." He gestures to his eyes and smiles. "I'm sorry I couldn't meet you any sooner..." The blonde gapes like a dead goldfish.

"Here...I figured you might want this." Iruka outstetches a hand through the bars and offers him some ramen. Naruto looks down at the familiar bowl glumly. Snapping open the chopsticks, he starts slurping some noodles. "None of this is your fault..."

"Who are ya kidding? Of course it is. If it wasn't for me, Tsunade-baa-chan would be alive right now. I could've saved her! But, I was too late..." He looks at his lap, eyes tearing up as he thought more and more about his failure. If he had succeeded, then none of this would've happened. That bastard would still be here, and the hokage would be alive... But he had made a grave mistake. "Are you hearing yourself right now? What happened to that blonde boy I used to know? The one who wanted to lead the village someday?"

"I...I dunno..." He says self cautiously, eyes averting to his lap.

"Look at me, Naruto," Naruto looks up and feels sad all over again. Guilt and regret weighing down on him

"Don't lose hope." Iruka shakes his shoulders, brown eyes gazing into him. "It may seem dark right now, but I promise you, there is always a light out the end of the tunnel. Someday you might find yours..." Stepping away, he salutes to his favorite student.

"Remember what I said."

* * *

That night, the Uzumaki twists and turns in his sleep. Constantly thinking about one thing or the other. It didn't help matter that the cot he was sleeping on wasn't by any means comfortable. He ended up curling himself in a ball, trying to sleep in the cold, even though all of his limbs felt icy to the touch.

**XXX**

_"H - Hina-chan?" There she was. Standing before him with a wicked smirk on her face._

_"Face it, Naruto-kun. We've all grown up and we grew to like you. You were always such a dimwitted kid and even now you still are. But, we all loved you for that. That's why each and every one of us befriended you. Because you were a hero in our eyes without knowing about what you carried inside of you. Now that the truth is out in the open, though…" She laughs, an unnatural smile crossing her face. "Why'd any of your friends want to be with a monster like you, anyway?" Suddenly, her face morphs into Sakura's and all his other friends-excluding Sakura-surrounded him in a circle. "You lied to us…betrayed us...and left us all behind. What kind of friend is that, anyway?" The faces sing-songed all around him. "STOP IT!" He screams, trying to run away from them. But, they followed and laughed, as he trips over himself and falls facefirst into the abyss of darkness._

_"Demon!"_

_"He's a Monster!"_

_"Stay away from him!"_

_"Traitor!"_

_And last of all, the face of his best friend._ _"You fool..." He lifts him up from the floor and frowns, "Look at you; you look like a mess."_

 _"Sasuke," Naruto wipes his tears away, eyes softening, "Y - you're really here?"_ _The Uchiha nods. "Yeah. Sorry for calling you out here like this. You see, this is only temporary." He glances around and starts again. 'That's weird...he almost never talks to me first. What's he got to say this time?' Naruto's eyes twitch, and he crosses his arms. Sasuke shifts his weight between his feet awkwardly._

 _"I - it's not important, actually, but...I want you to know something before I go." Embarrassed, he sighs, and looks at the confused boy._ _"Don't make me say it again! Once is already enough. But, I..." He clasps Naruto's hands and stands before him, a broken man._ _"Ever since that time when we were kids, and even now..."_

_"I liked you."_

_"When you said we were like brothers. Maybe we were. But, you were never like Itachi, so I didn't see you that way."_

_"Sasuke! You're - you're really here..." Naruto stands before him; without even thinking he throws his arms around the other boy. "Holy crap! Like, hey, how's it goin', dude?" He punches his shoulder lightly, laughing._ _"You're so annoying..." Sasuke smirks, holding onto him,_ _"Happy to see me, huh?"_

_"Heck yeah I am! I've waited so long just ta see ya for myself. Sakura-chan's gonna be so happy once she hears about this! I promised."_

_'Too bad I'm stuck here...' He adds in darkly to himself._ _"Where the fuck were you, Sasuke?!" He shouts, eyes narrowing on his teammate._ _"That doesn't matter...It's not in my place to say." Sasuke shoves him away, and looks away, with a clouded expression. "We're running out of time. My communication with you is cutting off. Tell Sensei I..." His image glitches for a second and then reappears; only partly._

 _"No, you're my friend! I'm gonna save you, I swear!" The Uzumaki cuts him off midsentence with a pout._ _Sasuke steps closer, until they're only inches apart. Naruto blushes, unsure of what to do._ _"I'll find you someday." He presses his forehead against the blonde's, "I will."_

 _Sasuke smiles down at him, but then feels a killing intent from behind his back. Letting go of the angel in his arms, he turns to face Orochimaru._ _"Hurry!" Snakes curl up around his arm, swallowing him into the darkness. Until the whole void is filled with snakes, and Naruto awakens in a cold sweat._

**XXX**

The Uzumaki wakes up, all of his sheets soaked wet along with his body. A weird sensation envelops him then and there; sending tingles up his spine. A foreign chakra presence enters inside his head, until it makes itself audibly clear.

" _ **Hey, you there! I'm breaking us out of here**_."

"W - what. Wait, who are you?"

" _ **Now's not the time for that...see that hole over there? That crack between the wall? That's your exit...follow that and you'll be just fine."**_

"Thanks." He hurries to the spot they mentioned, where hay is covered haphazardly. Between the rocks in his way, he pushed those aside with the help of his excess chakra until it's completely cleared. Seeing the light from outside, he crawls out with a puff of relief. ' _Wow, they were right_...' It was dark outside, but he was finally free! No old man to stop him now! " _ **Go into the woods. I'll be waiting for you there. And hurry! Before the guards catch on**_!"

' _Got it_...'

* * *

' _Was that really him_?' Sasuke has a hand on his face, recalling the events previously. He could've sworn he saw the face of his long lost friend in his dreams. But, he, too, was self aware of what was going on just as he was. This wasn't just some offhand coincidence. It seemed far fetched, but maybe that was really him in the flesh. ' _This is stupid. Of course that clumsy ninja is gone. What was I thinking_?' he stands up from his futon and stretches. Seeing how his master almost never got any sleep, he wouldn't be surprised if he had him work overtime just to satisfy his needs.

' _If he was really with the Akatsuki three years ago, then I'd have seen him by now...but that moron is nowhere to be found. No matter how far I look. But, I know he's out there, he said so himself_.' Slipping on his white yukata and a purple wrap around his middle he takes a few swift stride to place a hand on the knob. Before he heads out the door, he faces his makeshift shrine and eyes the statue. With a curt bow, he hoists his blade and leaves his room in one piece.

...

Sasuke sharpens his blade, using polish to clean it's rusty edges, as he sat on the table. He feels something sting, and looks at man behind the glasses, who is inserting questionable fluids into a syringe, squirting some of it out.

"You're not done, yet..." Kabuto injects the vaccine into his arm with a mad glint behind those glasses, and Sasuke flinches on impact. The Yakushi eyes him like a prize, licking his lips as it fills up with his delicious blood. "You're the perfect specimen, you know that...?" He says with desire laden in his voice, biting the shell of his ear. Sasuke rolls his eyes and looks away, unimpressed; growing accustomed to his pedophilic tendancies."Giving your body over to my master is very noble of you, Sasuke-kun. How do you feel?"

"Nothing..." The Uchiha crosses his arms . And it was true. There was nothing to lose from it, no, not even his body. In the end, he would gain the power to defeat his brother and fool the old ninja when the time was right.  _Yes_. That was the plan.

"I - I see." Kabuto's hand hesitates as he cleans his wound with a cloth. He stands up and walks over to his shelf, skimming through some things before bringing an object out. "Well, hurry along to Orochimaru-sama. Oh, and Sasuke-kun," he fetches over a vial to him, which the Uchiha catches. "It's a little... _something_." The experimenter winks . A simple fetch side quest, huh? Frowning, Sasuke casts one last glare his way and stomps out of the room, down the stony hallways, and over to the throne room. "Ah, Sasuke-kun~" Orochimaru purrs, a smile dancing on his lips, "How nice to see you again...fufufufu..." The brat tosses a vial over to him, to which the snake sannin catches."Here, Kabuto wanted to give you this."

"Ah, yes, this will be very helpful for later, thank you." He pockets it into his clothes and hums. "What d'you want?"

"Straight to the point; I like that. But, no need to be so uptight about it! This is going to be so much fun." Seeing him glare daggers at him, he adds in, "Oh, come on! The clock is ticking, you know~. The time has almost come...you'll have no choice but to pay your end of the bargain. It was our deal, after all."

"I know..." Sasuke murmurs, "but not yet. There are still some things I have to do."

' _Like finding that usuratonkachi, for starters_.' The golden eyed man relents after awhile. In the end, it was only about when. Timing meant everything, but, if he really wanted to, then, so be it. "Alright. You're still not ripe, yet, anyway, so there's no harm done...for now I'll let you live, boy. There's no point in picking a green fruit, as they say."

"Hmph." Orochimaru gives him the side eye and slinks away. Getting the message, Sasuke follows after him. The sound of their footsteps fills the otherwise silent void as they head outside to the Sound's training grounds. "Are you ready for your next session of training?" Orochimaru questions with a small smile, watching his subject bemusedly. "Yes," and then adds in a reluctant, " _master_."

"Excellent. Let's get started then, shall we?" A dark energy envelops the former legendary ninja, and a large snake forms out of thin air. "This is my pet snake, Manda. He won't bite..." Orochimaru stands beside it, stroking it softly. ' _It's a summon...! That thing is giant. I won't stand a chance at this rate!'_ All he has are a few techniques, but not enough to defeat the monster entirely. And Kakashi had only taught him the basics of chidori, but nothing more than that. He might end up as mush if he so much as slipped.

"Where'd you get it? Tell me!" He urges, buying some time to thoroughly think of a strategy. They didn't call him a prodigy for nothing, after all. "...At Ryuchi Cave.  _Why_? You interested?" His master slithers away, grinning toothily from the sidelines. ' _Far from it_ ,' Sasuke shakes his head, ' _I can do this all on my own, no sweat. Stupid Naruto. I don't need friends...'_ Holding out his blade, he waits for an opening. The snake lunges at him, but he leaps aside. It's head crashes against the rock hard ground instead; causing it to crack in the process. But it's saber sharp tooth had flung out of it's mouth and had hit him from behind mid battle. Holding his shoulder, Sasuke hisses and stumbles back; wounded.

' _He's doing a number on me...! But not so fast.'_ He takes the fang and flings it back, but it's scale had deflected it. If something like that and kunai couldn't work against the feral beast; then he was doomed. Against all odds, he had brought out his blade.

" _ **CHIDORI**_!" He screams, launching himself at the monster and about ready to stab it. But, it's tail had whacked him back, sending him him flying. Sprawled on the floor, he coughs and stands back up; wiping blood in the process.  _'Damn him! I have no choice but to give in...'_ Black flames devour his body and his eyes thin into snake-like slits. His skin turns grey and wings erupt from his back; resembling a snake. The Snake Sannin cackled with glee at how his future body was faring against the beast. He licks his lips with a glint in his snake eyes, ' _He's just the one I want, I'm certain_... _H_ _is body is all mine_...'

Sasuke whirls around, but it's all too late. The ginormous monstrosity swallows him whole.

' _It's as I thought_!' Down into the stomach he goes, feeling acid burn his skin. He eyes it's insides with distaste; before jumping straight back into action so that he won't materialize into nothing but flesh and bone. Using a spare shruiken from his master, he does a spin attack and slices off the snake from the inside out. Dismembering it, it's body falls apart and he's out of the stomach, alive. Alive, yes, but slimy. And sticky. And... _scrumptious_. At least in Orochimaru's eyes.

' _THAT BRAT! He just killed my one very own summon! Hmm...no matter. I'll just reanimate him, no worries.'_

"Y - you were supposed to fight him! Not  _kill_  him. I specifically told you not to, boy!" He snaps. "Well I did my job, didn't I?" Sasuke shrugged, smirking. "Is that it? Or is that all you've got against me?" Orochimaru was fuming inside. How  _dare_  he taunt him like this; especially at his worst! Brushing it aside, he steps aside and crosses his arms, grumbling. "W - well, I must say. You have done well to best against my most powerful asset..." Pacing back and forth, he relents with a crooked smile.

"Do you want to know why I favor you above all others?"

"It is because you belong to me, Sasuke. You are all mine. You are the very essence to the Sound. Without you as an ally, then my nation would be as good as dead."

"Hn." Sasuke grunts, looking the slightest bit thankful. "You were atop a mountain of corpses, all for the sake of my cause. If it weren't for you, I'd..." He rubs both sides of his face and gushes, swaying his hips with love in his eyes; if the nosebleed and blush were anything to go off by. The Uchiha pushes him away. "Can I go, now? I've got things to do..." The Uchiha taps his foot impatiently, looking extremely uncomfortable. Seeing this, "Of course, Sasuke-kun. Just remember that you're welcome here anytime.  _Fufufufu_ ~!"

"Before I go," He scratches the back of his head, picking up on Naruto's old habits. "I think that thing poisoned me..." He reveals his bare shoulder and Orochimaru can barely hold in a squeal. His perfect, supple skin. He couldn't wai to suckle on it and -!  _Ahem_. He was getting off track here. There were more important matters at hand. Like how his Sasuke was suffering from his snake's venom. "Ah, I see. Well, I have just the thing for you." He grasps the sides of his face and shove a bottle into his mouth. Sasuke chokes, but the snake sannin coaxes it into his throat and he swallows the antidote.

"Easy, easy. Take it like the slave that you are, brat..."

"What did you do to me?" The Uchiha stares at him akin to fascination and horror. "Y - you're not trying to possess me, are you?"

"What? Nonsense. I'm healing you. Now that, you know..." He caps the bottle and tosses it aside, "You're in my hands, I can't just compromise all that and let you die a terrible death. Sweet dreams..."

* * *

It was time.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are..." Danzo opens the door to the dungeons, internally cackling with glee. ' _I'm not a chicken. I will face you_.' The blonde scoots over to the bars, watching closely as a dark figure holding a lantern steps closer and closer to him. ' _I'm not gonna die here_.'

"I know you're in here, boy...it's only a matter of time before you die..." He squints through the darkness, trying to see a blonde head of hair, but it was all fruitless. The prisoners in their cells cowered and backed away into a corner. " _Dammit, where are you_?! I've waited so long for this moment!" The Uzumaki takes a shaky breath and stands up in chains, facing the light from behind his chakra blindfolds.

"Oops. My bad. Ya got me." Naruto opens his arms, hand and foot cuffs clinking. Danzo turns to him and smirks.

"Follow me, blind brat." The "hokage" unlocks the door with a key and yanks the boy out, forcibly grabbing onto him and dragging him away. Naruto can't see a thing, but by the sound of things, he was outside on the streets where the villagers were chatting about themselves. Danzo stops both of them and cuffs him to the pole; removing his blindfolds. Now that the blonde can see the world, and blinks.

"Wait here...I'm going to host your funeral. You're welcome, brat."

' _Well. That sounds reassuring_.'

" **You're doin' great, Kit! One down, two more to go**." Naruto exhales. Things were going according to plan. By the look of things, the old man was going to see the error of his ways soon enough.

He vaguely feels himself forced down to bend over. Danzo had his cane to his back, smiling at him like he's won the lottery. "Namikaze, this is Shi. Shi, this is Namikaze. He will be the end to your means." A masked man brings out an axe from behind him, and passerby stare in shock. "You were doomed from the start, you monster. This is your punishment..." Right as the axe was about to slice his head, a  _POOF_! of smoke cleared the scene. Coughing, Danzo narrows his eyes and sees that he has disappeared out of thin air! "Wha - What is the meaning of this?" The "hokage" stares, aghast, as the brat had outsmarted him yet again!

"I guess you've outdone yourself this time, you ugly bastard!" Someone jabs beside the hokage. Danzo stumbles over, stunned. ' _He cloned himself! Tsk. I should've known_.'

" _ **Shadow Clone Jutsu**_!" Performing the hand signals, thousands of Narutos appear out of thin air, all attacking Shimura like no tomorrow. The main Naruto stands tall throughout the crowd. "As you all know, one day I will come back. Stronger than ever!" He pumps a fist to his chest, a fierce light in his eyes. "Not even this guy can stop me!" He sighs, speaking in a voice with such ferocity that it surprises everyone around him. "You people live under this man, under the pretense that he will lead your village. That is a lie. A true hokage cares for their people, being with them every step of the way. Death is inevitable, but it is the hard truth of the shinobi world, I realized. I almost died here today, all for the sake of you guys. But if we don't take a stand and fight for what we believe in, then nothing is gonna happen. Over the years, I lost something important ta me. A friend. I promised Sakura-chan that, no matter what, I'd save him, even if it meant breaking all the bones in my body!" His eyes lowered to the ground, and he hesitates,

"But, then, I realized something. I'd always have him there, that without him...I felt nothin' but pain. I think that's when I knew...that I understood him, for the first time in a long time. His name is  _Sasuke Uchiha_."

A hush fell over the villagers, all of them sharing knowing glances their way. "Just like the village, I will bring him back!" He swore, with such ferocity that all of them felt moved by his words.

The crowd cheers loud for the hero, lifting him in the air and screaming. The other half turns to the self-proclaimed leader and throws food at the headsman who runs away. The spare executioners retreat along with him. All of the Naruto grinned, creating a ception of laughing Narutos, which was quite the sight to see. Danzo, having had enough of his dignity humiliated, thought it smart to go against the brat.

"That's quite enough! As your hokage, I cannot simply allow this to happen! Look at you, flocking off to a peasant boy! Please, he cannot lead you properly like I. All of you, who dare to laugh at me, shall be exterminated!"

The cloaked figure in the crowd smiles, clapping along with the others. ' _I knew you could do it, Naruto_... _Good luck_.'

Naruto salutes one last time before disappearing in a  _POOF_! of smoke.

**Author's Note:**

> I realize I should've kept the title as "Jinchuuriki's Tale" instead of "Jinchuuriki's Tail"  
> But then that was already taken and has been used before, so...  
> For now I'm keeping it the way it is :)  
> (Plus it will make sense later when *SPOILER* and *SPOILER* happens)


End file.
